Have Faith In Destiny
by Solia Sparrow
Summary: There is a new governor in Port Royal and his daughter is not one to follow orders. Her life is crumbling before her eyes, until she gets one chance, one shot to change it. Enter: Jack Sparrow. Jack O.C. Rated M for future chapters
1. To Freedom

**Disclaimer: Anything you recognize belongs to Disney**

**Claimer: Anything that you don't recognize belongs to me.**

**Author's Note: This is my first fanfic, and I just wanted to say thanks for everyone who helped get me started. Livi for the reviews, and Ashley for the title. ****This is in Solia's POV.**

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_Dear Johnny,_

_This is my chance. And I'm going to take it. You told me about him. About Jack Sparrow. He longs for his freedom just as much as I do. With a week till the wedding, I can't find a better time to get away. You know I can't marry him. This is my chance to save him, to save me. They're going to hang him. There's no doubt about it. I've heard the stories, about him rescuing Governor Swann's daughter, and clearing that curse. He doesn't deserve his fate. I don't deserve my fate. This life isn't for me. I've got to get out._

_Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. You're the only person I trust, that's why I'm leaving you this letter. I don't know when I'll see you again. Thank you. For everything. Love,_

_Solia_

I left him that letter, then I ran into the night. I ran away from my past, away from my potential future, towards what could be. Towards the prison. Lucky for me, the streets were empty. I was dressed simply, to conceal the reality of who I was, just in case someone tried to bother me. Down the stairs, and into the shadowy dungeon that is the prison of Port Royal. I knew him at once. The only person locked away. His hat tilted over his eyes, dark hair covering his face. His look intrigued me. I immediately wanted to know more about him. Praying my plan would work, I called his name.

"Jack Sparrow."

"Captain Jack Sparrow, if you please," He removes his hat, giving me a clear look at his face, as he's able to get a good look at me. "Miss."

"Captain Jack Sparrow, then. I have a proposition for you."

"And what might that be?"

"I'll give you your freedom, if you give me mine." He looks a little confused. He doesn't directly respond, instead dodges my statement.

"And who are you that you could propose something of such magnitude?"

"Are you asking my name?"

"Aye." I hadn't counted on this. Do I tell him the truth, or do I lie? Before I can decide, my lips betray me, it's as if his eyes draw out the truth.

"Solia."

"You do have a last name right, love?"

"Mederas." His eyes widen.

"Mederas. As in Governor Mederas? You're the governor's daughter?" Oh great. I should have lied. There is no way that he'll take me with him now. He already had enough trouble with Elizabeth, daughter of the late Governor Swann, I don't think he's looking for any more. I just nod my head.

"Think about it. My father's planning on hanging you. Will Turner's gone. There's no last chance escape, not like last time. You need your freedom, as do I."

"You're searching for freedom from what, exactly?" He doesn't believe me! I don't blame him, I am the governor's daughter. What do I need freedom from? I'm supposed to have everything. "Me for example, I need to get out of this cell. You need to get out of what?"

"Have you heard of Commodore Norrington?" I know he has, that's why I mentioned it. I know his story, not completely, but enough to know that James Norrington and Captain Jack Sparrow are not the best of friends.

"That stiff? Of course I've heard of him! Can't stand the man."

"Well at least you're not promised to him." His eyes betray his thoughts, and I can tell he's considering it.

"You have to marry him?"

"Now do you see why I'm here?"

"If you free me, and I 'free' you, where will you go?"

"With you. I can't very well stay here can I? And if you stay here, Norrington wins. Not only does he get your head, but he gets me too. Please. I know that you want out of here. I can see it in your eyes." He doesn't answer. He looks out the window of his cramped cell and after about a minute, looks back at me. Praying, inside, calm on the outside. I don't want him to see how much this means to me.

"Love, if you get me out of here, you have my word. I shall take you with me. Are we agreed?" I wave the keys in his face.

"Agreed." I unlock the cell door, and he walks out.

"Follow me." He takes my hand, and I follow him to his ship, The Black Pearl. I follow him, away, away from my past, and into my future.


	2. She's Different

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. Except Solia.**

**Author's Note: Jack's POV. These are pretty much going to alternate betweenPOV's**

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The governor's daughter. She's bound to be trouble. She seems a lot better than Elizabeth though. She was a bit of a stick, but this girl, she's different. She's ready to take a chance, and what am I risking anyways? They've already got me down for piracy; why not add another count of kidnapping to my list of crimes? No. It's not kidnapping, she _asked_ me to let her come with me. We had an agreement, and I am a man of my word. I might be a dishonest man, but I am still a man of my word. She could have fooled me though; I didn't know she had the keys. If I did, I would have turned on my charm, and freed myself. Something stopped me though. I don't know what it was. Once I saw those keys in her hand…_why didn't you seduce her Sparrow? You know you could of. She's easy. Who was your competition? Norrington? You'd have won that contest easily._ It seems like she would be easy. The governor's daughter. I can't get that thought out of my head. Why would she want anything to do with a pirate? There's got to be something more to this deal. _Why would you care? If she wants you, let her take you. _Is she really the governor's daughter? This seems too unreal. _No. It's real enough. Take her with you for a few months, and then bring her back. If they think she was kidnapped, you might be able to cash in on her._ Ah. There's always money in it. There's got to be a profit. I take her with me to The Black Pearl, my ship, the true meaning of freedom. When you're a pirate that's the only thing that matters: your ship. And mine, is beautiful. I take the wheel and steer us out of the harbor and into the ocean. She hasn't moved. She's been standing in the same spot since we left.

"I think there's a spare cabin that you can use." She's bound to be tired, and She looks a little relieved at the thought.

"Thank you." She stands at the bow of the Pearl, waiting, watching, for what I'm not sure.

"Why don't you come below? You don't want anyone to see you right?" I walk up behind her and put my arm around her shoulder. She immediately pulls away.

"I told you I would free you, but I didn't offer myself to you." She says, conceitedly.

"What?" I say slightly confused. Such a sudden change of heart.

"I know your reputation Mr. Sparrow, and you are not going to add me to your list of whores. I appreciate that you're taking me with you, but that is as far as our relationship goes." She's got a fire in her, and it's getting me a little angry, but I laugh it off. How does she know that? She just met me.

"Don't worry. With an attitude like that, you'd be lucky if anyone tried to sleep with you. And just for the record, I wasn't trying." I'm lying. I would love to have my way with her, that's just who I am. I can't help it. I'm Captain Jack Sparrow. She just stares at me. "I was just thinking that you might be tired and was wondering if you wanted me to show you to your cabin. I wasn't _trying_ anything." She just stares at me. Her eyes looking deep into mine, as if she's searching my soul, trying to see if there's any truth to what I just said.

"I'm not entirely sure if I believe you."

"You were sure enough to ask a complete stranger, and a pirate no less, if you could accompany them." Her face softens a little because she knows I'm right.

"I'm tired." She sighs. "Would you just show me to a cabin?"

"Fine." I lead her below deck, to a cabin, across the hall from mine. I was thinking that I would take her to mine, but I want her to learn to trust me. "You can sleep here."

"Am I insured my privacy?"

"Yes. I won't use these, unless I absolutely see it fit to." I wave the keys in front of her face, much like she did to me a few hours ago. She tries to snatch them from me, but fails. "There are some clothes in the drawers, in case you don't want to sleep in that." I point to her dress, even though it's simple, it doesn't look like it would be very comfortable to sleep in.

"I'm fine, thank you." She sits down on the bed, and looks around.

"Anything else, your highness?" I say with a slight bow, the sarcasm heavy in my voice. She rolls her eyes. "I guess that's a no. Goodnight." I say as I leave the room.

There is definitely something different about her, and I'm not sure if like it. She's willing to trust me enough to free me from prison, but not enough to let me lead her to a cabin. Who would have known that the governor's daughter would be so difficult? If I had known about that, I would have had second thoughts about bringing her aboard. She's a puzzle, and I'm going to figure her out.


	3. I'm Not Easy

**Disclaimer: Anything you recognize belongs to disney **

**Claimer: Anything that you don't recognize belongs to me**

**Author's Note: Solia's POV. This is slightly similar to She's Different (the last chapter) with the exception of the POV.**

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It's hard for me. I wanted to leave, but I never knew that I actually could. I stand there as I watch the harbor disappear. I hope that he understands. That he understands why I left. I wasn't in love with him; he was my friend, more like a brother. And I didn't even get to say goodbye. He'll understand. He knows that I had to get out. He was there for me though. He told me about Jack Sparrow. He got me the keys. He was my escape. I wanted to leave, even though this is what I wanted, I'm still stressed out. What if someone catches me?

"I think there's a spare cabin that you can use." He tells me.

"Thank you." He offered me a cabin, and I'm not sure if that's a good thing. I'm so tired, I could use some sleep. I don't look at him; instead I keep my eyes on the horizon.

"Why don't you come below? You don't want anyone to see you right?" I can feel him come closer. He slowly puts his arm around me, and I immediately push him away. I turn around and look him in the eyes.

"I told you I would free you, but I didn't offer myself to you." I tell him conceitedly. He's Jack Sparrow. Captain of the Black Pearl, seducer of women.

"What?" He says confused. Like he really doesn't know what I was talking about. He's trying to play innocent.

"I know your reputation Mr. Sparrow, and you are not going to add me to your list of whores. I appreciate that you're taking me with you, but that is as far as our relationship goes." I don't want him to think I'm easy. I know that I left my home, my family, my life behind, but I didn't leave all of my morals.

"Don't worry. With an attitude like that, you'd be lucky if anyone tried to sleep with you. And just for the record, I wasn't trying." Sure. He _wasn't _trying. He brings me aboard his ship, and then offers me a cabin. Offer's to show me below deck. I'm sure he'd love that. I'm not going to give myself to him. "I was just thinking that you might be tired and was wondering if you wanted me to show you to your cabin. I wasn't _trying_ anything." I know that he's lying. I stare into his endless eyes, as if that could bring out the truth.

"I'm not entirely sure if I believe you."

"You were sure enough to ask a complete stranger, and a pirate no less, if you could accompany them." I know that he's right. I trusted him enough to be here, why not let him escort me to a cabin? I give up my inner fight. I'm exhausted. I could use the sleep.

"I'm tired." I'm fed up, I just want to sleep. "Would you just show me to a cabin?"

"Fine." He says. I follow him below deck, hoping that I can trust him. He leads me to a cabin. "You can sleep here."

"Am I insured my privacy?" I don't trust him completely. Given his nature. I had to ask him.

"Yes. I won't use these, unless I absolutely see it fit to." He holds the keys in front of my face, I try to grab them, but he's too fast. I guess he knew what I was thinking. "There are some clothes in the drawers, in case you don't want to sleep in that." I'm not going to change. Not as long as he's got those keys.

"I'm fine, thank you."

"Anything else, your highness?" I roll my eyes at him. I can sense his disgust with me. Why should he be angry? It's not like I tried to kill him or something. "I guess that's a no. Goodnight."

I watch him walk out of my room; my eyes follow him until he turns the corner. He intrigues me. I want to know more about him. I lock the door and sit on the bed. Right now, I can't trust anyone. He kept his word. He brought me with him, but why? What does he want? He's got some sort of plan. He could have had me unlock the cell, and locked me inside. He could have killed me after he got those keys. Why didn't he? I don't think he would. I don't think he would kill me. He doesn't seem like that type of person.

I knew I was taking a risk just coming aboard his ship. Not only was I going with a pirate, but who knows what this pirate could do to me. I don't care. I'm away from Norrington. He can't get to me here. I'm not promised to anyone anymore. I am promised to myself. That's all. And that's all that matters.

I feel a pang of guilt, why did I have to act like that? He probably thinks that I'm some sort of spoiled brat. _The governor's daughter, she can get whatever she wants. She's just using you._ In a way I am. I'm using him for my happiness. For my freedom.

Why am I feeling guilty? He did something wrong too. He was in jail, until I got him out. I lay down on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. In just a few short hours, my life has changed. It makes me wonder what would have happened if I stayed back in Port Royal.

I fall asleep, thinking about him. Why am I thinking about him? He's a pirate! I'm the governor's daughter, I should be thinking about someone else. Not him. Not Captain Jack Sparrow.

But I can't help it…


	4. What's Wrong With One More?

**Disclaimer: Do I have to keep writing disclaimers? I still own Solia, and that's about it.**

**Author's Note: Jack's POV**

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I walk back on deck, and take my spot at the helm of the Pearl.

"She's got passion in her Captain." My first mate, Gibbs comments.

"Where have you been?" Surprised he had even seen her. I forgot about the crew.

"Below deck with the rest of 'em. We figured with you locked up, we'd keep out of sight." Smart man. No wonder he's been with me all these years.

"Good idea. I forgot you _gentlemen_ were still here. I thought you might have taken off. What happened to the code?" Pirate's code. Any man that falls behind is left behind.

"I told you cap'n. We consider the code as more actual guidelines then rules." He says with a smile.

"Ah, well I see."

"I thought it was bad luck to bring a woman aboard."

"Mr. Gibbs, we've had plenty of women aboard this ship, and no bad luck. What's wrong with one more?" Lets see. There was Anna Maria, and Elizabeth, those were the most recent. Anna's still on board.

"She's the governor's daughter cap'n. Are you sure that this is such a good idea?" No. I'm not sure, but I'm going to give her a chance. Who knows?

"Gibbs, she kept her word to me, and I'm going to keep my word to her. She freed me, so I'm going to free her. She's too good for Norrington, she proved that just by making it here."

"Aye. She's different from Miss Elizabeth, that's for certain." Aye. Elizabeth would rather die then come aboard the Pearl willingly.

"Aye. I need to get some rest. Take the wheel. I'll introduce her to the rest of the crew tomorrow." Gibbs is the only person I would trust taking the wheel of my ship. He's loyal, unlike Barbossa. That's why he's dead.

"No problem cap'n." He says as he takes the wheel. I walk back below deck, as I approach her cabin, I pause in front of her door. I want to know more about her. I feel my hands reach into my pocket; I can feel the keys in my hand, the cold metal. No. I told her I wouldn't use them. I'm not going to. I put them back. She's going to have to learn to trust me. I just stare at her door for a minute, before continuing on to my cabin.

Tomorrow. Tomorrow is when the fun's going to begin. She wanted to come with me, so she's going to have to learn the ropes. She's going to become a part of the crew. No free rides.

She freed me, but why? I know Norrington, but why did she want to get away? Why was it so important? And why did it take a pirate to get her to leave?

I throw my hat onto the dresser and remove my boots. It's wonderful to be back in my own bed aboard _my_ ship. That cell was bad, but I've been in worse. It reminded me of the time I spent there, before clearing the curse. Back when Will Turner came to my aid. I had a proposition for him: _If you spring me from this cell, I swear on pain of death, I shall take you to the Black Pearl and your bonny lass. Do we have an accord?_ He agreed. And with that the madness started. It was either madness, or brilliance, but it's remarkable how often those two traits coincide. He freed me, and I took him to Elizabeth.

They were perfect. Then she got killed. He was never the same again. I tried to get him back; back to the way he used to be. I didn't want him to turn into something he wasn't. Pirate's blood flowed through his veins, but he was no pirate…until she died.

He worked hard, trying to keep his mind off of her. But he couldn't. So he worked at getting his own ship. He succeeded. And I took it from him. I didn't want him to turn into something he wasn't. I knew he was no pirate. He was a blacksmith.

My plot didn't work. He turned against me. I gave the ship back to him, tried to explain, but he wouldn't listen. He made it his life's goal to destroy me. I lost him. I have not seen Will Turner. Who knows what happened to him, but he hasn't found me. Even so, I don't think he would have killed me.

I fall asleep, thinking about the past, present, and future. Tomorrow is another day, and I'm going to find out more about her. She's putting on a façade. She's going to meet the crew, and I'm going to make sense of her. The thread that's holding her together, will unravel, and the governor's daughter will show her true colors.


	5. What Are You Doing?

**Claimer: Anyone you don't recognize belongs to me.**

**Author's Note: Solia's Pov. ( ) is translation, andI know it might not be one hundred percent accurate, but I'm still learning spanish, so bear with me. **

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I'm dreaming. I'm not dreaming. I wake up to a pounding on my door. It's got to be very early in the morning; it doesn't feel like I've had even two hours sleep. I unhappily get out of bed, then I remember whereI am. I'm not home.I open the door, andthere stands the smiling face of someone I do not trust.

"Good Morning!" He's doing this to torture me, I swear it.

"It's too early to be morning. I'm going back to sleep." I start to head back to my bed, but he grabs my arm. "Let go of me." He doesn't. "I'm serious, I need more sleep."

"No. We've got work to do." Work, what work? "I thought I told you to change out of that dress. Here." He hands me some clothes. "These are Anna Maria's, they might fit you better then mine."

"Oh, and I'm sure you'd love it if I changed." I'm not changing, not as long as he's here, or has those keys.

"Are you suggesting that I might have _dishonorable intentions_?" If he didn't why did he mention it?

"Exactly."

"You're wrong. I was only telling you for your benefit, if you want to ruin that dress, it's fine with me. But it doesn't look like you brought anymore with you, so I'd recommend that you change now." A smug smile passes over his face. Damn. I hate it when he's right. I grab the clothes from him and hold out my hand.

"Give me the keys."

"What? No."

"I'm dead serious Jack, give me those keys."

"It's Captain Jack, and you're bloody mad."

"I'm not going to change unless you give me those keys. How do I know that you won't open the door?" Knowing him, he would. "Give them to me." He stops for a minute, just staring at them, thinking about what he should do.

"Fine." He hands them to me, a look of defeat on his face.

"Get out." I start to push him out of my cabin.

"Now where's the fun in that?" He smiles; a crooked grin, and I can feel my heart pounding in my chest.

"Get out now!" I give him a cold stare. He looks away from me and finally walks out the door muttering. I lock the door tight behind him, just in case, and head back over to the bed. I begin to change my clothes.

I can't stand him. He's invaded my thoughts. I can't get him out of my head. _But he did give you those keys. Maybe you can trust him._ No. I can't trust him. He's a pirate! _Well he brought you with him didn't he? He hasn't touched you, with the exception of the arm thing, and he's not bad looking._ No. He's not bad looking, but he is rude. Half of the time I want to knock him out. _You haven't known him for that long Solia, what's your problem?_ That's exactly my problem! I don't know him! If I don't know him, I can't trust him. _You must trust him to some degree; you came with him didn't you?_ The inner fight goes on and on.

I finish with the clothes, making sure that I am fully covered, and when I am satisfied I walk out the door. I thought about going back to sleep, but decided against it. Jack's standing there, leaning against the opposite wall, that same crooked grin on his face.

"Miss me?" He asks.

"No, not really." I pause. "Don't you have anything better to do then wait around for me?"

"Well actually, I was waiting around for those keys. Now hand them over." I roll my eyes at him, and to my dissatisfaction hand him the keys. "Come on."

He leads me above deck; several people are walking around, working on the ship. He walks over towards the rigging under the crow's nest. He begins to climb up, and turns around when he notices that I'm not following.

"What are you doing?" He says.

"Keeping my feet on the ground. Thank you very much." I'm not climbing up there.

"Oh no you're not. You're going to meet my crew, and I can't very well present you from down there. Savvy?" He's insane. He really is. "Now do I need to carry you up here, or are you going to climb up yourself?" Is he serious? I don't know, but I don't really want to find out.

"Fine." So, I began the climb.

"Watch your step." Once I began, it was easy. It was like climbing trees with Johnny. Something my father never approved of, but I was rather good at it. We soon reached the top. My head begins to spin. I've never been up this high before. He can sense it, and puts a hand behind my back, to help me keep my balance.

"Are you all right?" I nod my head, but his hand doesn't move.

"I just lost my breath, that's all."

"Aye! Now pay attention!" He yells at the crew. They immediately stop, and look up towards us. More people come out from below deck. I can only see one other woman. "This is Solia, and she's going to be accompanying us. Now I expect you all to treat her as well as you would anyone else. Savvy?" I back up further into him, and I can feel his arm grab hold of me. I hadn't seen his crew before, and I was a little startled. I didn't know there were so many people on board. No one was here yesterday.

They nod and shout in agreement. His arm still firm around me. _Back away from him, do you know who he is? He's Captain Jack Sparrow. Seducer of women, and you're feeding into his trap._ No. I'm not going to give into him. Another part of me voices its opinion. _Calm down, it was just his arm. He didn't actually ever try to bed you, and even if he did, would that have been so bad?_ I don't want to submit to anything, so I move away. A look of disappointment comes over his face, but quickly fades away.

"Can we climb down now? Please?" I only ask him because I don't want to do anything I will regret.

"All right." He pauses. "I think they like you." He says with a laugh. Just what I need: a bunch of grungy pirates liking me. _It'd be far worse if they didn't like you._ Good point.

"Great. Just what I need." I say under my breath.

"What was that?"

"Nothing. I didn't say anything." We climb down the rigging, the entire time I was praying that I didn't slip and fall. It was a lot easier climbing down, than it was going up. I would have had a hard time of it if I were still in my dress.

When we get back on the deck one of the men hands me a mop. I stare at it, then at Jack in disbelief.

"What, did you think you could come along with no strings attached?" He laughs as he speaks. Actually, I did.

"I freed you, isn't that enough?" Well, isn't it?

"Well, that was very nice of you, but it isn't going to get these decks clean."

"You're absolutely charming, did you know that?"

"I try my best." He says with that same grin. Oh! I can't stand him! He walks away, laughing. The woman is standing there, looking at me.

"Is he always like that?" I ask.

"Sometimes he's worse." She says.

"Lucky me huh?" She laughs.

"I'm Anna Maria." She holds out her hand for me to shake, and I take it, glad for a friendly face.

"Solia. Nice to meet you." She smiles.

"You might want to start at the end first, it'd be easier."

"Thanks for the advice." I wasn't being sarcastic, but I think it might have come across that way.

"No problem." I carry the mop and the bucket to the back of the ship and begin to clean.

"Is that how you clean? You're not doing a very good job of it."

"Well excuse me…" I wasn't sure who it was, but I turn around to see Jack staring at me. "Captain, but being the governor's daughter I never had to clean. We had servants for that sort of thing." I say as I continue. He just stands there laughing. "What's so funny?"

"You! You're doing it all wrong! Here, let me help you." He wraps his arms around me, and his hands cover mine. He's so close I can hear his heart beating.

"What are you doing?" I want to get away from him, but he won't let me.

"I'm trying to show you the proper way to use a mop." Sure. That's what he was trying to do. And I thought I was beginning to trust him.

"¡Ah mi Dios! ¿Me dejaría solamente usted en paz?" (Oh my god! would you just leave me alone?) My father has mixed blood; Spanish and British, my mother is British. When I was very young, he taught me Spanish.

"¿Usted sabe que no puedo hacer aquel derecho?" (You know I can't do that right?) He says. I immediately pull away from him.

"Why?" He's really getting on my nerves.

"Because then my ship wouldn't get clean." He whispers in my ear.

"Then clean it yourself." I hand him the mop. And head back down to my cabin.

Why does he have to be so difficult? I'm wondering if it wouldn't have been easier to have stayed behind in Port Royal, let Jack Sparrow be sent to the gallows, married Norrington.

Actually, I think this is easier. I'm not promised to anyone. I can do more then I ever could back at home. _And what about Sparrow?_ I don't know about him. He drives me insane. I don't trust him, and I'm not sure I ever will.


	6. I did notice

**Author's Note: Jack's POV.**

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She is so frustrating! One minute she's fine with me, then the next she can't stand me. I wish I could figure her out!

For a moment, it seemed like everything was okay. When we were up in the crow's nest…everything was fine. She was standing there in my arms, and we were getting along. I tried to hide my disappointment when she pulled away.

I don't know why she doesn't trust me. I've never tried anything. _Perhaps it's your reputation. You are a pirate…_Maybe that's why she doesn't trust me. I can't change who I am. I am a pirate, but is that sufficient reason not to trust me?

I want her. She's different from any girl I've ever met. I'm not going to take her. I'm not like that. I've never raped a woman, and I don't plan to. If I'm going to have her, it's got to be her choice. I'm going to have to earn her trust, and her love.

_Face it Sparrow. She's invaded your thoughts. She's gotten under your skin and you didn't even notice._ Wrong. I did notice. I can't say I didn't let it happen. _What exactly is it that you feel for her Jack? Besides lust that is, we all knew that from the beginning. You can't love her. You're a pirate, and pirates don't love. Look what happened to Will Turner._ Maybe I could be a little nicer to her. But she could be nicer to me too.

"Cap'n. Cap'n." Gibbs interrupts my thoughts. I forgot I was still on deck with the mop in my hands.

"What is it?"

"She's spirited, I've got to hand it to her. Not even the crew stands up to you like that, but I told you about her cap'n. Are you sure it's wise to keep her here? You're never going to get through to her."

"That is none of your concern."

"My apologies cap'n. It won't happen again."

"Make sure it doesn't." I hand him the mop and head below deck. I stop at her cabin and knock on the door.

"If it's who I think it is, you can just go away." I don't want to go away. I want her to trust me. Maybe this is the first step. I have to apologize. _Why? You did nothing wrong._ I ignore my inner voice, and answer her.

"I don't want to go away." I swallow my pride, and begin my apology. "I…I came to apologize."

"Jack? Jack sparrow? Coming to apologize? To me?" She doesn't sound like she believes me.

"Please. It'd be a lot easier if you opened the door." No response. I face the door in silence. I'm about to walk away, when I hear the door open.

"All right. What do you want?"

"I told you. I came to apologize. I didn't mean to laugh at you." Even though that display was pretty funny, I shouldn't have laughed. I didn't know it would have hurt her feelings though. "I thought you might like to come back above deck."

"It wasn't about the laughing, but apology accepted." There was a tinge of harshness in her voice, but only a little.

"So will you come with me?" Maybe this will be the beginning. Maybe with the one apology, she'll start to believe me. Start to see the man behind the pirate.

"It depends, do I have to clean?" The harsh tone has been replaced by a hint of playfulness, but if she wants to become a part of my crew, she's going to have to work.

"Well, it does need to be cleaned." I smile. I might be trying to win her over, but she's still got to earn her keep.

"If I do, do you promise not to laugh?" Her voice is even more playful, and I can see a smile forming at the corners of her lips. _Beautiful lips._

"On my honor as a pirate." I tell her, with my hand over my heart.

"Well, that's a pretty stern vow."

"Aye." But she's worth it. She smiles, and we make our way above deck, hopefully to a new beginning. Maybe she's learning to trust me. Maybe…


	7. She's Missing Sir

**Author's Note: This is in the 3rd person POV. And it's not a flash back; it's more of a **_**meanwhile**_**. Thanks to Vinhson for always helping with the re-wording and stuff like that. **

**Thanks to EVERYONE for all of the great reviews, keep them coming! Seriously, it makes my day whenI get to read a good review. I guess that's just part of being a writer: the feeling that you get when you know that you're doing a good job by hearing aboutit from someone else. It's kind of like what Orlando Bloom said in Pirates of The Caribbean: "A craftsman is always pleased to hear his work is appreciated."**

**Anyway, you didn't come here to listen to me ramble. On with the story!**

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There was something different about this morning. Something not quite right, but the governor shook the thought from his head and went down the stairs to breakfast. Greeted by the faces of his wife and daughter he took a seat. But someone was missing.

"Rebecca, have you seen Solia today?" He asked his wife.

"She hasn't come downstairs yet?"

"She probably overslept. The lazy bum."

"April, don't talk about your sister like that." Her mother stated flatly. Solia did have a tendency to oversleep, but the fact didn't need to be brought up.

They enjoyed their breakfast: sausage and eggs, fresh fruit and muffins. _She had to oversleep, and miss it. _Her father thought. He enjoyed the time that he spent with his family, and almost regretted that it would soon come to an end. Solia was going to marry the Commodore in a week. _She's going to have to learn to get up in the mornings if she's going to be a good wife._

"This is ridiculous. Jessica, could you go wake Solia up please." His wife was fed up with her; she should be to breakfast on time. No excuses.

"Right away miss." Jessica replied and went upstairs. "Miss Mederas?" No reply. She knocked on the door again. "Miss Mederas, breakfast has been on the table for a good quarter of an hour. Your mother wanted me to wake you up." There was still no answer. So she decided to open the door. "Miss?" But to her surprise she wasn't in the room. She went downstairs and checked the drawing room and the library, her father's office. _I'll check the servant's quarters. Lord knows she visits that Johnny more then she visits her own mother._ But she wasn't to be found. She returned uneasily to the dining room to tell the governor. "Sir, I can't find Miss Solia anywhere."

"Did you check her balcony?" She liked to look out at the sea, and dream of the freedoms she could have if she wasn't herself. The freedoms she could have if she was someone else.

"I looked everywhere sir." The panic apparent in her voice.

"Are you absolutely certain?"

"Yes sir." Solia had protested to some degree about the wedding, but her father had thought nothing of it…until now.

His wife got up and looked for her, and April went back to her room. Maybe she was in there, she was always _borrowing _things from her.He sat there at the table, a blank look on his face until another servant interrupted him.

"My lord you have a visitor." _Oh great. Who could that be?_ He was usually happy when there was company, but today was different. He got up from the breakfast table and went into the foyer. Commodore Norrington went straight to business, no greeting or anything.

"Sparrow's gone missing. His cell was empty this morning. We've sent the guards looking around the city, but no one has found him yet."

"He's not the only one that's gone missing." Norrington looked back at him confused.

"Governor, what are you talking about?"

"No one can find her." Norrington knew immediately whom he was speaking about. It was the woman he was going to marry, it was Solia.

"Did you check the beach?" He knew that his fiancé had liked to wander the beach; she liked the feel of the sand; the sounds and smell of the ocean. This worried him. _Pirates take pleasure in the sea as well. I hope she doesn't turn to piracy like Elizabeth. _When he thought about Elizabeth Swann he did so with disgust. She had left him for a blacksmith. They had gotten married and accompanied Jack Sparrow. _The worst pirate of them all._ _I should have had his head years ago, and now he's run off with another woman, and not just any woman. It HAD to be my fiancé._

"We've sent one of the servants to look for her."

"Which one did you send? It wasn't Johnny was it?" Everyone in Port Royal knew about her friendship with Johnny. He was the brother she never had. Her father knew that, but some people didn't think that. Some people, Norrington included, thought that there was something more between them. Truth being, that Johnny actually had a thing for her sister. No one knew though, except Solia.

"No." But the governor hadn't thought to ask Johnny about Solia, not until the commodore had mentioned it. "Would you excuse me for a moment? You can wait in my office, unless you'd like to help the officers search for Sparrow."

"There's something more I need to speak to you about, I'll wait in the office."

The governor had promised her to Norrington, his wife had also agreed. The commodore was a good man, if not a bit strict. The only person that hadn't agreed was his daughter. With her gone, he was now having second thoughts. He didn't know that the marriage would set him at such unease. Now he wasn't sure that he wanted this marriage. _I was sure when I promised her. _He wasn't sure if he wanted the commodore as her husband. He didn't want him to make love to his daughter. He couldn't see his little girl marrying him, her innocence being shattered. He wanted her to stay his little girl forever. _It is unavoidable though. She's already promised. And a promise is a promise. _He shook the thought as he went into the servants' quarters.

Johnny had awoken to find the letter under his door. He read it and smiled. _She did it. She ran away. I can't say that I'm not proud of her, but I'll miss her._ A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts, and he hid the letter deep in the pocket of his vest before he went to open the door.

"Good morning Governor Mederas." Although the look on the governor's face told him otherwise. "What's wrong?"

"Solia's gone missing."

"What?" He asked in disbelief. He could be quite the actor when he wanted to.

"Do you know where she is?"

"What…what are you talking about?"

"You know damn well what I'm talking about Johnny now answer the question! If you know anything about my daughter please tell me now!" The governor yelled at him.

"I swear to you sir. I know nothing. I didn't even know that she was missing until you told me. I promise you." The governor's face softened a bit. He had known Johnny since he was a lad, and he had always been able to trust him. "I'm sorry."

"Yes." He paused. "I am too." He said as he left the room. He went back into his house, to the office where Commodore James Norrington waited for him. He sat down in his chair and stared down at the papers on his desk. He could see them, but he did not know what they said. Everything was a blur to him. One thing was clear. Inescapably clear. "Commodore, do you think that it's possible that she left with Sparrow?"

"The thought never crossed my mind." He looked towards the governor, horror filling his eyes. "Though it is possible. What leads you to believe that?" The governor looked up slowly from his desk.

"Because if she was anywhere in Port Royal she would be home by now."


	8. Satisfied?

**Author's Note: This skips back a littlebit before the _meanwhile_. Solia's POV. The bits and pieces of the song isfrom I'mLike A Bird by Nelly Furtado.And it was just brought to my attention that I have been misspelling Anamaria's (not Anna Maria) name this ENTIRE time!!! I feel so ashamed. LOL. Well, it will be fixed the next chapter she's in.**

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I lay back on my bed, I let all of my mixed emotions pour out: anger, suspicion, hatred, frustration, anxiety, love, fear, and uncertainty. I feel so many different things, and he only adds to the problem. I don't know how I feel about him, and he's not making it easy on me.

He shouldn't have touched me. He was wrong. I don't want him to touch me. I don't want to give into him, and he's only making it worse. _How do you really feel about Captain Jack Sparrow? You can't hate him or you wouldn't be going through this hell. This inner fight that either way you're going to lose. _I sigh as I realize that there's no way I'm really going to be happy. I stare at the ceiling trying to forget, trying to remember. Home, what it was like before my engagement, but it's useless. I hear footsteps outside of my door, followed by an insistent knocking. I know who it is, who else would it be?

"If it is who I think it is, you can just go away." I don't want to talk to him. Not now, not ever. Maybe that's the only way to win. I sit there, waiting to hear his retreating footsteps, but I don't.

"I don't want to go away." No, but I want you to. He hesitates a bit. "I…I came to apologize." And the funny thing is, he sounds sincere.

"Jack? Jack Sparrow? Coming to apologize? To me?" I have to question it because it doesn't seem like something he would do. _Ah, but he is. Just listen to him._

"Please. It'd be a lot easier if you opened the door." Should I answer the door? _Listen to him._ If he put out enough effort to come and apologize to me, I should listen. So I get up from the bed and open the door. As I opened the door, I could tell that he was about to walk away, but he didn't.

"All right. What do you want?" Maybe that wasn't the nicest thing to say, or the nicest way to say it, but I don't know how to deal with him. He's no Johnny, that's for sure.

"I told you. I came to apologize. I didn't mean to laugh at you." He really thinks that that's why I'm angry? _He came to apologize, that's what matters. _

"It wasn't about the laughing, but apology accepted." It wasn't about the laughing, and I want him to know that. At least he said sorry for something, maybe I can trust him. _He didn't have to apologize._

"So will you come with me?" _Give him a chance. You don't have to do anything you don't want to, but give him a chance._

"It depends, do I have to clean?" Minor sarcasm in my voice

"Well, it does need to be cleaned." He smiles, and I can feel my doubt slightly melt away, the severity vanish, if only for a bit.

"If I do, do you promise not to laugh?" I can hear the teasing in my voice, and then I curse myself for it. _Why? You deserve a little fun._

"On my honor as a pirate." He tells me, hand over heart.

"Well that's a pretty stern vow." I tell him with mock severity.

"Aye." And he just smiles, I can't help it. His smile makes me smile. "So is that a yes?" I laugh at him, which only makes his smile grow bigger. He turns and I follow him above deck. He walks over to Gibbs, who mop in hand, just stares at Jack. _Jack? Since when do you call him Jack?_

"Oh, it looks like I don't have a job to do. I'm going back to sleep." I say sarcastically.

"No, no, no Missy. Gibbs 'ere was just holding it for you."

"I don't know how to clean remember?" Seriously, I don't. I never had to do that sort of thing, even before my father became governor.

"Well, I'll show you." He takes the mop from Gibbs, who looks at him confused. I'll put up with it, but if he tries to do the same thing, I'm going back to my cabin. He begins to swab the deck, Gibbs and I watching him. "See, that's how you do it." He continues for maybe five minutes, and I can't help watching him, and not his mopping skills. "Got it?"

"Huh?"

"Do you know what to do?" I hope he doesn't think I was staring at him the whole time. I didn't…I don't think, and even if I did, it wasn't on purpose.

"Yeah. Umm, yeah. I get it." He hands me the mop.

"Show me."

"What?"

"Show me that you can do it."

"Fine, but no laughing. You promised." Well he did. I can't hold him to a promise?

"Aye. No laughing." I look at him first, and then I start to clean the deck. I can feel his eyes on me, and I'm wondering if it's the same way he felt when he was mopping. "So you can do it!" He smiles, and I roll my eyes at him.

"Satisfied?" He better be.

"Nice job, but there's a lot more ship to go savvy?" _Do I have to? _A voice inside me whines.

"Fine." I sigh, and start to clean again. He walks off to the helm, to steer the ship, a duty he had been neglecting since I first tried to clean.

He has been a lot nicer to me, pretty polite. A lot nicer then I would expect a pirate to be. Maybe I was just stereotyping him. Maybe he's not like any other pirate. Maybe…

Mopping is a long and boring job. To keep my mind off of it, and him I start to hum a song. A song my mother used to sing. Unconsciously, I hear myself softly singing it.

_You're beautiful, that's for sure  
You'll never ever fade  
You're lovely, but it's not for sure  
That I won't ever change_

I look up to make sure that no one is paying attention. I see Jack, steering the Pearl, looking at his compass, and occasionally up at me.

_And though my love is rare  
Though my love is true _

_I'm like a bird, I'll only fly away  
I don't know where my soul is  
I don't know where my home is  
And baby all I need for you to know is_

_I'm like a bird, I'll only fly away  
I don't know where my soul is  
I don't know where my home is  
All I need for you to know is  
_

"And all I need for you to know is what?" My heart falls to my feet. I didn't know that he was right there. "The song."

"My mother used to sing it. I don't know where she learned it." He looks at me with those eyes. _Those beautiful eyes_ that seem to see me, but at the same time see right through me.

"Please let me hear the rest of it." He smiles.


	9. My Heart Reduced To Ashes

**Author's Note: Jack's POV. As you can tell, solia's finishing her song, even though it's not _her _song. It's Nelly Furtado's, but anyway...here you go. Oh, and sorry it's so short. Next one will be longer I promise.**

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_Your faith in me brings me to tears  
Even after all these years_

_And it pains me so much to tell  
That you don't know me that well _

And though my love is rare  
Though my love is true

_I'm like a bird, I'll only fly away  
I don't know where my soul is  
I don't know where my home is  
And all I need for you to know is _

I'm like a bird, I'll only fly away  
I don't know where my soul is  
I don't know where my home is  
All I need for you to know is

_It's not that I wanna say goodbye  
It's just that every time you try  
To tell me, me that you love me oh,  
Each and every single day I know  
I'm going to have to eventually give you away _

And though my love is rare  
And though my love is true, yeah  
Hey I'm just scared  
That we may fall through

_I'm like a bird, I'll only fly away  
I don't know where my soul is  
I don't know where my home is_

She looked so beautiful standing there. Her hair was all messed up, dirt streaked across her face, even so. She was beautiful. And I couldn't help myself. I don't know how it happened, but I kissed her. For a second, I thought I felt her ever so slightly return it, but she pulled away. I felt her hand strike my face, and it felt like fire ripping across my flesh. My heart reduced to ashes, and then she started to speak. The mixture of hurt and anger inescapably clear in her voice.

"I don't know who the fuck you think you are, but I'm not your whore." I can see the pain, and the tears forming in her eyes. I immediately regret what I just did. How could I be so stupid? She shakes her head, her cold eyes staring at me, staring right through me, piercing my soul. She runs off. She's gone and everyone is staring at me.

"What?" I yell at them. "What are you looking at? Get back to work!" They hastily return to their tasks. Ana walks up to me.

"You know something Jack?" I don't answer her. "You really know how to screw things up." She looks at me disgustedly before she heads below.

I feel degraded, disgusting. It's like somehow she stole a part of me. You're falling for her Sparrow, just admit it. You knew she was trouble from the beginning, and you never did anything about it. Now, you're the one that's in trouble. She's not going to forgive me, but I have to try. I can't help feeling that this is going to be hard to overcome. I want her to trust me, but now, now I think I blew any chance of that ever happening.


	10. Pirates Don't Cry

**Author's note: Solia's POV. And a little bit of history revealed.**

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Why do I feel like this? Why does it matter to me? I don't care about him! _If you don't care about him, why are you crying? He matters to you, no matter how much you want to deny it. You care about him._ I don't care about him! I don't want to care about him! I want to go home. I wish I never met him. _Don't say that. You know you're lying to yourself. _I can feel the tears streaming down my cheeks. If I don't care about him, why am I crying so much? There's a knock at the door, I don't answer and I don't plan on it.

"Solia?" I don't respond. "It's Anamaria, open the door. Are you okay? Solia? Please open the door." I don't want to talk to anyone, but unlike him, I realize that I can trust her. I turn my head towards the door, and I just stare at it, waiting for her to go away. Then the doorknob turns. Shit. I forgot to lock it. She opens the door, concern painted across her face. "Are you okay?" She closes and locks the door. _Well at least now I know that Jack can't come in._ I don't answer her. "I saw what you did." She smiles. "God knows it's not like I haven't done that before." I laugh a little because I can't imagine her hitting him, but then I get serious again.

"He made me feel like a whore." I pause, and I'm not sure if I'm going to start crying again. "I asked to come with him, to come aboard, but that was it. I didn't offer myself to him. My freedom for his; that was the deal." I can feel my throat tighten up like I'm going to cry, but I keep talking. "I thought I could trust him; I was beginning to anyway, and then he ruined it." She looks at me, then up at the ceiling before she starts talking again.

"He kissed me once, and I did the same thing you did. I hit him so hard that he almost fell backwards." I still can't picture her hitting him, but the image of him about to fall makes me laugh. She smiles. "I don't even remember how it happened, but it did. I think he might have been drunk, I don't know. Sparrow's been knocked around so many times I'm surprised he still has a head." Both of us laugh, and I wipe the tears from my face.

"Were you with him?" She looks a little confused.

"What do you mean?"

"You know, were you together?" The same look occupies her face. I sigh. "Were you and Jack lovers?"

"Me? And Sparrow? Lovers?" She laughs, and the look that was on her face seems like it transferred to mine because now I'm the one confused. "You think that me and Sparrow, Jack Sparrow, Captain Jack Sparrow, were lovers?" The laughing continues. "That has got to be the funniest thing I have ever heard."

"You weren't?" I'm still confused.

"Hell no! I've known Jack almost my entire life. He's like my brother. A real pain in the ass, but aren't they all? I grew up with him. That's why I was so angry when he kissed me. You're not supposed to be going around kissing your sister, you know what I mean?" I nod my head. "I worked hard, and I ended up getting my own boat. Nothing fancy, single mast, but I loved it. And you know what he did?"

"What?"

"The bastard scuttled it! I was so angry with him. He still owes me a ship." I'm smiling at her now. Anamaria's the kind of person that could make anyone smile, no matter what. Her smile fades, and she starts to speak again. "You wanna know something though?" She doesn't let me respond. "I've seen Jack with women before, so I know how he acts, but with you, he's different. He's not himself. I don't know how you feel about him, but I just wanted you to know that." I can feel a few stray tears trail down my cheeks. "What are you doing?"

"Huh?"

"Are you crying?" She laughs a bit, causing me to follow her. "Let me tell you something Solia. Pirates don't cry." She wipes the tears from my face and says, "Let's get you cleaned up and get some dinner okay? You've got to be hungry."

"A little."

"Okay, then we better not waste any time savvy?" She must have picked that up from Jack. She walks over to the dresser and soaks a cloth in the bowl of water on top of it and hands it to me. "Here." I wash my face while she fixes my hair. We both finish at the same time. "Ready to go?"

"Yeah." She gets up and starts heading for the door. "Wait."

"What?"

"Thank you." She smiles and hugs me.

"You're welcome." And I follow her down into the dining room.

Even if I can't trust Jack, I know I can trust someone. I can trust her, and right now, I think that's about all I need. Someone to trust.

_**Secondary author's note: Granted we Don't really know about Anamaria in real life, how do we know that the boat Jack was in at the beginning of PoTc wasn't hers? "You stole my boat!" It very well could be because Jack himself called the Interceptor a Ship and NOT a boat. Besides, boats are smaller.**_


	11. Redemption

**Author's note: Jack's POV. Thanks A LOT to my brother, Mark for the help, and the ideas at 2:00 in the morning. Luv ya mark! Also, we don't really know Anamaria's last name, but I took artistic license and gave her one. Oh, and I'm suffering from a case of writer's block (That's howI wrote my one shot.I actually had writer's block.) So hopefully I'll finish chapter 12 soon (at least I'm trying to work on it). Anyway thanks for sticking by me. On with the story!**

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She looked so hurt when she left. I've got to make it up to her, but I don't think any apology will do it.

"Cap'n?" I ignore him, hoping he'll go away. I just need to think. "Cap'n? I don't know if I should tell you that I told you so, or if I should ask you if you're okay. That girl's tricky."

"I know, but she's different."

"Aye. If you ask my opinion…"

"Which I'm not," What could Gibbs possibly know about her?

"Aye. But if you were asking, I would say give her a 'lil bit of time of blow off some steam, because right now I don't really think she trusts you."

"Really? I couldn't tell. I thought she was just going to agree to marry me the way she was acting." _Go away! I don't want to talk to you right now._

"Don't worry, she'll talk to you again. Just control yourself, and apologize. If you show her that you mean it, then she might just start to trust you again."

"Who are you, and what have you done with my first mate?" He laughs. I've never seen this side of him before, and I'm wondering if I should follow his advice.

"Trust me mate." He pats me on the back. "Now, I think Cotton's just about got dinner ready."

"May I ask you something? Who told you all that? I know you didn't come up with it on your own." I don't remember Gibbs ever having a girl, so how could he possibly know all this?

"Well you remember Daniels right? The one from Hispanola? Well, he knew how to get a strumpet or two in his day, and he gave me some advice."

"Mark Daniels? Didn't he leave and open the pub in Tortuga?"

"Aye." I pause for a moment.

"What do you say to paying Mr. Daniels a visit?"

"It depends. Is the visit regarding rum, or the girl?" I shoot him a look, and he throws his hands in the air. "I was just foolin' Cap'n. No need to maroon me."

"If it gets that bad, I think I just might." He laughs again, and we head down to the dining room. Anamaria and Solia are standing there talking to Cotton, and it hurts me just to see her. I was wrong, and I know it, but I don't know what to do. She's real. She's a real woman. I've never had a real woman. Whores are a totally different matter, they aren't real, they're paid for, and pretend. They are fantasy and make-believe. She's real. Honest, with feeling and true emotions.

I had always wondered how will had felt about Elizabeth, how someone could feel that way towards another person, and now I know, but the old saying rules firm in my mind, "Hell hath no fury like a woman's scorn," and right now, I know that I am surely in the deepest circle of hell.

The crew eats the food; the same raucous chatter that happens at every meal. I see her sitting with Anamaria. I catch sight of her, and I know that she realizes that I'm there, but she doesn't even look in my direction. That in itself, the fact that she's ignoring me hurts more then all of her insolence combined.

Everything clears out, the crew goes on to enjoy themselves, drinking and playing their card games. But I just stand there staring out to sea, staring like she did. Occasionally, I look up at the stars, or take a swallow of rum, otherwise keeping my gaze firm on the horizon. I just wish I could figure her out.

"You really like her don't you Jack?"

"I'm not in the mood to be mocked, Ana, so why don't you just go away." She'd love to rub this in, she's been in her position before, but that kiss, I really regret. This one, this one I'm not so sure about. I didn't mean to kiss her, but I can't say I didn't like it. I feel horrible, and I know that what I did was inexcusable, but what am I supposed to do about it? "Where is she?"

"Down in her cabin. She was exhausted."

"Yes, well piracy can do that to you" She looks at me as if I've committed some horrible crime. "What?" No answer. "What are you staring at me for?" I don't like it when people stare at me; it makes me feel like I did something wrong, and perhaps I did. _Perhaps? You know that you did Sparrow, so just admit it. _Okay, so maybe…No. What I did was wrong, there's no getting around that, but how am I going to redeem myself?

"It just amazes me that's all."

"Would you mind explaining to me what the hell you are talking about?"

"She's right. You treated her as if she was just some whore. Jack! She's not some whore…"

"Stay out of it. It's not any of your business what I do."

"See? That's the problem! I'm going to make it my business. I know…" She pauses "I know how you feel about her, it's no secret. I've known you forever Jack. I know how you act around women, and you're completely different around her. It's like I don't know you anymore." She sounds hurt. She always told me she never had any feelings for me, but where is this coming from? "Don't hurt her Jack." She says as she walks away.

Where did all of that come from? I know she talked to her, but what did she tell Anamaria? Ana knows something…something that she's not telling.

"Wait!" She stops walking, and turns ever so slightly towards me. " What? "

"Figure it out." This time when she leaves, she doesn't turn back.

Maybe it's not just Solia. Maybe all women are frustrating like this. _Wait, you're calling Ana a woman? Anamaria Velasquez is more pirate then woman Jack Sparrow and you know it. If it weren't for Gibbs, his superstitions, and the fact that he was with you since the mutiny, she would be your first mate. Just because you're having trouble with the governor's daughter doesn't mean you need to screw up your relationship with her too. _If she gets hurt, Anamaria is never going to speak to me again, and feelings or no feelings towards me, I cant put her friendship in jeopardy. I have to make things right…_but how?_


	12. She Wasn't Alone

**Author's Note:I just want to thank you guys for being so patient with me. I have the DSL on my laptop now, (just what a writer needs right?) so I should get to post more often. This is in Jack's POV. Enjoy the long awaited chapter 12! **

I didn't sleep that night. I couldn't. How could I sleep when I knew that she was angry with me? I stayed out on deck for a few hours; most of the crew went below. My mind would not rest, I just kept thinking. I don't get like this. I never get like this. I'm Jack Sparrow. I'm not supposed to love; I'm a pirate for god's sake! But there's more to that girl then meets the eye. I want to know about her, I want to be with her, but does that mean that I'm in love with her? Could it possibly mean that? I don't know. This isn't my area of expertise. My area is that of dealing with whores: pay for what you want, go your separate ways and live your life. _"I don't know who the fuck you are, but I am not your whore." _Her voice rings in my head. No. She's not my whore. I don't want to make her my whore. It'd be impossible to turn her into a whore, she's too beautiful, too sweet, and she cares. Whores don't care. Still, I hate the fact that I made her feel like one.

I need to change it, to fix it, to make everything better. Wait! Anamaria. Ana would know what to do. She's got the same mentality as Solia: she won't let herself give into her feelings. _Jack, what are you saying? You know that Ana has no feelings for you so just drop it alright? And as far as the girl goes, how do you know for a fact that she has even the tiniest bit of feelings for you?_ I don't. I don't know how she feels about me, but I can at least try and find out.

"Ana!" I knock on her door. "Ana! Open the door!" No answer. "Please! Anamaria, open the door!" Finally she comes.

"Jack! I'm trying to sleep! What the hell do you want?" She doesn't sound too happy.

"Figure it out. You told me to figure it out. I couldn't, but I've come to the realization that I need more clues." She looks at me confused.

"I have no idea what the hell you are talking about." She's leaning against the doorpost, staring at me, half asleep like I'm the biggest idiot in the world. "What's going on?"

"Come on." I take her hand.

"Jack! What the..." I lead her above deck. I've always been able to think better when I was above deck. The smell of the sea, the sound of the waves crashing against the ship, the way the wind feels...it's almost spiritual...in a sense anyways. "Jack, what's going on?" I don't want to come right out and ask for her help. I'll build up to it.

"I...I wanted to show you the stars." I lie.

"Jack Sparrow! I know you better then that, and I know that you did not wake me up in the middle of the night to look at the stars." Truly, I've known her for too long. "Now what the hell do you want?"

"What did she say to you? What did you tell her?" Her face softens. "Ana, I wouldn't be asking you if I could figure her out on my own, but I can't. She's different..." I trail off.

"I told her about when you kissed me, how I did the exact same thing she did."

"You had to bring that up didn't you?"

"I wanted her to know that she wasn't alone."

"Don't rub it in." It took a long time for Ana to forgive me. I don't want Solia to be mad at me forever, but right now it seems inevitable.

"Sorry, but it did happen."

"I know that Ana, now answer the question." She's starting to piss me off, but I need her help so I'm not going to get angry. "What did she say?"

"I'm not going to be your spy." I can feel the anger. I'm beginning to think that all women are this frustrating, or maybe it's just when they join together.

"I'm not asking you to be my spy!" I didn't mean to shout, it just happened, but then I regain my composure. "Please. I..." _Swallow your pride and say it Jack, or your never going to get anywhere. _"I need your help." She laughs.

"What? Jack? Jack Sparrow? Asking for my help? For a woman's help? I never thought I'd see the day." She continues to laugh.

"Are you mocking me?"

"No. I just had to bask in the glory of hearing those words come out of your mouth. I need your help."

"I could do without the ridicule, I'm being serious here. What did she say?"

"You screwed up Jack. She was beginning to trust you and you screwed it up." I feel horrible. _Now look what you did Jack, she was beginning to trust you and you messed it up. Nice going..._ "You can't do things like that anymore Jack, not if you want to gain her trust. Your tricks won't work on her. She's not some whore, you said it yourself. She's different. You're different. You don't act this way."

"I never had a reason."


	13. Were You Spying?

**Author's Note: Ha Ha! The long awaited (for you and for me) chapter 13. Solia's POV. I think you'll like it. So read and review. Thanks again to Livi for the idea. So here you go...**

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I went to bed exhausted from the day. So much had happened. I thought about everything Anamaria had told me. _"I've seen Jack with_ _women before, so I know he acts, but with you he's different. He's not himself...I just wanted you to know that." _Was she telling the truth?

I want to believe her, I want to believe that he's different, that he's changed, but his reputation proves otherwise. _She's like his sister, just like you and Johnny...friends, nothing more. You knew everything about him, so she should know about Jack. Listen to her, and give him a chance. _I don't know how I feel about him, how can I give him a chance? I don't know how I should feel about him.

Maybe I overreacted. It's not like he hurt me, _and it's not like you didn't enjoy his kiss. _I...I didn't know how to react. I shouldn't have hit him.

Maybe I didn't overreact. _"What did you think you could come along with no strings attached?" _What did he mean by that? Is he going to turn me into his whore? His plaything? Was that one of the strings? _Listen to yourself! You're acting like he raped you or something! He didn't. All he did was give you a kiss. One little kiss..._

I am. I'm overreacting. I don't think Jack would hurt me. If what Anamaria said is true...I should give him a chance. _Are you entirely sure that you trust him?_ I don't know. _If he wants me to trust him he'll apologize_, and I settled with that. If he wants me to trust him he'll apologize. I drifted off to sleep. A dreamless sleep.

I woke up the next morning, got dressed and went to breakfast. Ana was there sitting next to Jack. He looked over at me, but didn't say anything. Why didn't he say anything? He went on talking to Anamaria, who at least acknowledged my existence and said good morning. Maybe I should talk to him. I mean, I overreacted. _Apologizing to him would just be admitting defeat. _Defeat? What was the competition? Some silly, childish game where we wouldn't apologize or even speak to each other? I don't want that. I don't want him to touch me, but I don't want him to disappear completely. No. I'm going to talk to him.

"Good morning Jack." Plain and simple. No apology, just a simple good morning. I mean, do I need to apologize to him? Is it really necessary?

"Morning." That's all he said. It kind of hurt me because after I stormed off yesterday he didn't even come to see what was wrong. At least with the mopping incident he came to see me, came to apologize, proved he cared. I mean, is this even about an apology anymore? I just want to know that he cares. I don't think he does. There's this little part of me that believes that I'm some spoiled bitch. I could see how that could happen, I wasn't the nicest person.

"Ana, could I talk to you for a minute?" This funny look comes over her face, but she agrees. We walk back to my room, and I lock the door. I don't want Jack to find us. I don't know what to say to him. "I thought you said he was different."

"What do you mean?"

"You said he was different around me. I don't know. I just...I kinda thought he would apologize. I don't even know if it's about the apology anymore. It just..." She gives off a slight chuckle, which confuses me. "What?"

"Nothing. He is different around you, but Jack...Jack's not too big on apologies."

"Oh." What's going on with me? Yesterday I couldn't stand the bastard and now I want him to apologize, want to be reassured that he even cares...

"Just, don't be fooled by what Jack doesn't say. Keep in mind he's new at this."

"What? New at what?" I am totally lost. What have I gotten myself involved in?

"Feelings basically. You know about his reputation, that's why you're skeptical, but what you don't know is that Jack is going through the same thing." _Jack's wondering about me? Is this for real? _Wait. Why do I care? _Stop arguing with yourself. You care about him. Just admit it. The sooner you admit it, the sooner your misery will end._

"Really?" I hope she's telling the truth. I don't like the silence.

"Yeah. Listen. I'm not telling you to go apologize to him, but don't be too hard on him either. He's trying. He's trying to make you happy." I thought I heard a hint of sadness, but maybe it was my mind playing tricks on me. I'm the one sad, not Ana. He's almost her brother for crying out loud. She would know. "Yeah. Don't be fooled by him. Beneath that _hardcore pirate _exterior, he's pretty nice. Right now he's just trying to find himself." She smiles. I'm pretty sure I imagined that earlier. She's practically out the door when I hear her say "Give him a chance." I just stare off towards the wall, thinking about every word she just said.

"Yeah, thanks." I respond so softly, I can hardly hear myself. She closes the door, and I get up from the bed. I want to go talk to Jack, but what am I supposed to say? _Tell him what you told yourself. You didn't mean to overreact. You just did it. He surprised you. Although it was a pleasant surprise wasn't it?_ God, I hate this! I have to stop second guessing myself. I walk over and open the door and Jack is pacing back and forth. When the door opened, he stopped and looked right at me, I couldn't even pick out the emotion in his eyes, it was so mixed. Why was he standing there? "Were you listening to us?" I shout at him, and he doesn't answer. "Jack! You were eavesdropping!"

"No! No I wasn't. I was just..."

"Stop lying to me Jack! I know you were listening." _You're overreacting again. _He shouldn't have been listening! I have a right to overreact! What if we were talking about something else? His face is covered in defeat. He takes a deep breath and then answers me. I'm just surprised that he didn't run away. _Maybe that does prove that he cares about you. He didn't run did he?_

"I can't figure you out! What am I supposed to say? Am I supposed to apologize every time I offend you? I don't eavesdrop very often. I...I just need some indication that you won't hate me forever." Is this a hidden apology? "If it makes you feel better, I'm sorry. I couldn't help myself. I was wrong, okay. You looked so beautiful standing there..." The anger fades from his voice. "...I'm sorry. I'll never kiss you again." He doesn't mean that does he? _What the hell are you saying? _"All right?" He can't figure me out? He wants to figure me out? I couldn't tell if I was smiling or not, but I could feel my own anger disappear as I looked into his eyes.

"Okay." He smiles, and I can feel myself smile too. "So what happens now?"

"Well, I'd like to kiss you again."


	14. I'm Listening

**Author's Note: Solia's POV. A little more history revealed. I'm thinking of making the next chapter a flashback, but don'thold me to anything savvy? I can always change my mind.Hope you like it. RR like always.**

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"Jack, I can't." I wanted to. I wanted to kiss him so bad, but I couldn't. I don't know how I feel about him. I don't want to make things worse, for me or for him. "I'm sorry."

"No. It's okay." He looks a little disappointed though. _You're disappointed too. Forget about complicating things. You know that you have some feelings for him. The way he smiles, the way he looks at you. You wouldn't have put yourself through this if you didn't feel anything. Just admit it and go on with you're life. _I can't admit to anything. I don't trust him. Slowly, I'm starting to see that maybe he can be trusted, but I'm not so sure.

"I...I'm not too sure about anything these days. I just knew I had to get out of there."

"What?" I didn't know I had said that out loud. He wasn't supposed to hear that.

"I need some air." I start walking down the hallway because suddenly I feel like I'm suffocating. It's too hot. I feel better once I'm above deck though. Jack followed me. "Don't you have to steer or something? I mean, I'm just wondering because you are the Captain and all." I wasn't being sarcastic, it's true. He's the captain and he has duties, and he shouldn't abandon them for me.

"Gibbs can take care of it. I want to talk to you." _He cares about you._ "For three days, you've been here, and I don't know anything about you. Your name is Solia Mederas, and you're the Governor's daughter who wanted to get out of an arranged marriage, so you ran off with a pirate. That's all I know."

"And what about you? All I know about you, Jack Sparrow, captain of The Black Pearl, _seducer of women, _pirate and ex-convict is that you cleared up that curse and rescued me."

"Is that why you're so afraid of me?" Which reason is he talking about? I know I'm not afraid of the pirate part of him, I know that.

"I'm not afraid of you."

"_Seducer of women._ Is that what you think I'm trying to do?"

"No. It's just part of your reputation, and I thought I should mention it." It's true! Why shouldn't I mention it? It is part of his reputation. _You shouldn't mention it because you know you're going to lead into another argument._

"Well I won't try and seduce you if you don't try and play your tricks on me. Do we have an accord?"

"What tricks have I pulled on you?" I ask, shocked. I haven't done anything to him!

"You had me rescue you." Is that considered a trick? Probably not, he just needed something to say.

"Well I rescued you too so we're even. Savvy?" I had to laugh at that. I just felt like imitating him for a bit.

"What a little thief. You come aboard my ship and steal _my _words!" He smiles. _Well, little by little you're stealing my heart. _Wait! I didn't just think that. I start to laugh. "You think that's funny?" He says playfully. "Well, I think you need to do some more mopping."

"What, and get in another argument with you? No thank you."

"Oh, so you do care about me." I stop laughing.

"No. I didn't say that." _How am I going to get myself out of this one?_ "I just don't like arguing with you. I can't really talk to anyone else. I don't know anyone."

"You know me."

"And that's why I'm not arguing."

"Ah, well I see."

"Yep." It was quiet for a few minutes, and then I heard his voice again.

"Well, besides rescuing pirates what does a governor's daughter do?"

"Is that supposed to be funny?" He just nods. "Well, they get arranged, to men that they can't stand." I pause, and take a deep breath before I start explaining. "I never liked Norrington, I don't know why they promised me to him. I didn't even get a say in it. Father came back from the fort one day and asked to see my mother in his office. When they came out, they told me that they had promised me." When I had started talking I was looking at him, but gradually I started staring off into the sea. "They didn't even ask me. They just did it. I was so angry. I couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe that they would just give my life away without my consent." I could feel a tear slip down my cheek, and I did my best to keep in the rest of them. "Even Elizabeth had a choice, but I didn't. Nobody ever listens to me."

"I'm listening." I smile at him, as I looked into his eyes, I could feel all of my doubt melt away. I could trust him. I don't know why I had decided to open up to him, maybe it was because I needed to learn to trust him. Maybe it was because I just needed to spill everything or I would burst. Maybe it was because I knew that I would be with Jack for a while, and I thought that he should know why I wanted to get away. I just felt like I could trust him at this point, but with Jack, that can quickly change.

"I had kept a few journals, and I hid them. I had to write down how I felt about everything because they didn't care. My parents didn't care. They had proven that by promising me. Even before that. I had Johnny keep them safe. When I filled a book, I'd hide it in his room. Now that I'm gone, I wonder if he'll read them."

"Who's Johnny? Is he your brother?" Jack asked me, hope in his voice.

"You could say that. He was my best friend, he was like my brother. I've known him all my life. He was one of my father's servants. When I was little, we were always together. He taught me how to climb trees, and we played tag. But then when I got _engaged _they wouldn't let me see him anymore. That was another reason I had to get out. They wouldn't let me see my brother. I didn't want it. They were punishing me. For being the daughter of a governor...they were punishing me." I wasn't crying, but tears were falling. Jack turned my face towards his and wiped the tears away.

"Don't cry. You don't have to worry about that stuff anymore. It's in the past. You're not promised to anyone are you?"

"No." He's right. I'm promised to anyone except myself. I can finally live my own life.

"No." He says confirming my answer.

"Jack. Thank you."

"For what?"

"For saving me."


	15. No Longer a Child

**Author's Note: Okay, so I did do a Flashback. Third Person. Three Months before Solia meets Jack.**

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"After Elizabeth, I didn't think that you would fall for another governor's daughter." Governor Vincent Mederas said with confidence as he looked up from his desk. He had known why James had come to visit him, but he wanted to hear it come from his own mouth.

"She's a lovely woman, your daughter." He said with a smile.

"Please, take a seat." The governor said, not implying anything. His wife had been telling him how Solia needed a husband, and James was a fine man. Most likely James Norrington was the best navy man in all of Port Royal. James had taken a liking to Solia, not because of her status. He liked the way she carried herself: proper and respectful, yet independent. Her independence was probably what drew his interest. Maybe not, but it only made her more beautiful.

"How did you know that I came to ask about your daughter?" He asked curiously.

"The last time my wife and I hade you to the estate for dinner, your eyes never left her. The last time I saw you look at someone like that you were looking at Elizabeth."

"Yes, well." He was caught off guard. "I could tell she didn't love me. From the beginning. The look you saw me give her, was the same look she was giving Mr. Turner. I didn't want to make her miserable. I loved her."

"That's something you won't have to worry about. My daughter doesn't have a sweetheart. Something her mother made sure of..."

"What about the servant?"

"What?"

"What was his name again?" He paused to think. "That's right. Johnny."

"I can assure you James, nothing is going on between my daughter and Johnny. She enjoys his company. After all, they've known each other since they were children." He often had to defend Solia's friendship with Johnny. Some thought it was immoral. He was beginning to think that, since she was no longer a girl, that the friendship should end. The woman that his daughter had become should not be associating with servants. Maybe this was his wife's thinking invading his mind. After all, she had discouraged their friendship from the start. She complained that he had let her "run wild". She was his firstborn child, and perhaps he hadn't been as strict with her as he had with his other daughter, but that was his choice. His wife had always scolded him for it. _She's never going to want to get married if you continue to let her run around like some whore._ To which he argued that she was no whore. He never understood why she had wanted to marry her off. Perhaps it was his wife's ideals that it was _the right thing for a woman to do._

"In that case, I guess I can ask." He said satisfied. The governor looked at him, already knowing the question. "I would like permission to marry your daughter."

Rebecca Mederas sat in her husband's office waiting. He had came home from the fort with a lot on his mind and had asked to speak with her. He came into the office, unease on his face. He knew what his wife was going to say, and was afraid of the answer. He knew that he couldn't keep his daughter at home forever, but he wasn't quite ready to let her go.

"Rebecca, James came to talk to me today." He sighed heavily as he sat down, it was as if the words pained him.

"Really? What did he say?"

"He asked for permission to marry Solia." He knew it was a long shot, but he tried to make it sound like he had already made up his mind. If he was willing to allow her to marry James, his wife might disagree with him. "Of course I told him I had to discuss it with you first." The original shock on his wife's face subsided and was replaced with a smile.

"Vincent!" It was all she could seem to say. "The Commodore?" She had wanted her daughter married for a long time, and to someone like the Commodore? It seemed unreal! "James wants to marry Solia?"

"Yes, well he is looking to settle down."

"And such a fine man! Such a fine man wants to marry our daughter!" She was excited. She hadn't hoped for Norrington to propose. After Elizabeth it seemed that he had sworn off of love. The proposal had to be accepted, for in Rebecca's eyes he was too good of a man for her daughter to refuse. "Tell him that she accepts! Vincent! This is wonderful!" He knew that she was right. Solia had to become a _proper woman_. She too had to settle down, and she would have no trouble settling with Norrington. He was a fine man, one any woman would be lucky to have. He sent for one of the servants.

"Yes, Governor."

"Send word to The commodore. We'd like to extend the invitation for supper tonight, in celebration of the proposal."

"Yes sir." He stepped back into his office and sat across from the smiling face of his wife.

"Oh can you believe it Vincent? Our daughter marrying the Commodore." She leaned back in the chair, a romantic look on her face. It reminded of him of Solia when she was daydreaming.

An hour passed and James was announced. Solia and her sister greeted him before he went in to hear the news.

"I wonder what he's here for." Solia said to her sister, April curiously.

"Probably some _official business_ of the royal navy, or some of the other boring stuff father always does." She responded. They went back to April's room to finish their conversation, yet they were interrupted by a knock.

"Miss April, your father would like to see Solia down in his office." Jessica, their maid informed her. "He said it was rather important and he would like to see her at once." April nodded and turned to her sister.

"I think you're in trouble Solia." She stated teasingly. "The only time father ever wants you in his office is if you're in trouble." She paused, placed her hands on her hips, and stated with mock severity, "What did you do this time?"

"I didn't _do _anything." She said as she started out the door. "So I can't be in trouble." She followed Jessica down the stairs to the office and made her way inside. Her father was behind his desk her mother and Norrington on the other side.

"Solia, we need to talk to you." Her father said, and the smile immediately faded from her face.


	16. Morbid Thoughts

**Author's Note: Once again, sorry it took so long to write. I went to LA the beginning of March. Six hours there, six hours back,I thought _this couldn't be a more perfect time to write!_ Well, I was wrong. I couldn't think of ANYTHING, and when I got back I still had severe writer's block. Oh well. I guess whatI'm trying to say ishere's a new (and long awaited, i know) chapter I hope you enjoy. Jack's POV.**

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I saved her? _Don't get too cocky Jack. _What was she planning on doing? Was she that desperate? Too many questions left unanswered.

"Don't tell me you were thinking about..." She wouldn't kill herself. How could thoughts like that infect her? Someone that beautiful should not have such morbid thoughts floating around in her head. She raises her eyebrows, as if considering what I just said.

"No. I never thought about that. I just had to do something. I had to get out. Anything." She pauses. "It doesn't matter now." She turns her view back to me. "Right?"

"Aye." Why does she push away? I want to know more, but I don't want to take anything too far. She's being open right now, and I'm enjoying it, but I don't want to make her feel uncomfortable. Open is one thing, but I'm not going to press for anymore information then she is willing to divulge. We sit there in silence for a few moments, neither of us having anything to say.

"Jack." She decides to break the silence. _I love the way she says my name._ "Where are we going?"

"What?" What is she talking about?

"Well, I just thought with all of this sailing, we'd have to be going someplace." Smart girl. But she doesn't quite grasp the point of having a ship.

"Do we have to be going anywhere?" I ask. She looks puzzled. "You wanted your freedom, as did I. We don't have to be sailing anywhere. We can just be sailing. Being on the Pearl, sure it's a way to get from 'here to there' but what a ship really is...is freedom. Freedom to go where we want, to do what we want." She's smiling. _Good._ "But if you really want to know where we're going..." She looks at me curiously. "Tortuga."

"Tortuga?" Curiosity lit up her eyes, even though she was trying her best not to show her interest.

"If every town in the world were like that one, no man would ever feel unwanted." She turns away.

"Whores aplenty huh Jack?" _Like she knows me so well. _"Always some ulterior motive right?" She sounds a bit offended though. _Some kind of admission to her feelings perhaps?_

"Yes." She takes a deep breath, rolling her eyes, but I quickly redeem myself. "But, that's not the reason for our visit."

"Really?" Skeptical. This girl is never going to be satisfied!

"Aye. No whores for me I promise. We're only going for supplies...and Daniels." Forget the supplies. I need advice from him. That is the reason for our visit, but she doesn't need to know that the entire trip revolves around me attempting to win her heart. "Old member of the crew, decided to try his luck at running his own pub. Doing a hell of a job of it last I heard."

"What's so important about him?" _Why does she get to ask all the questions and I have to sit back wondering? _"I mean, you've probably had tons of crew members before, why's he so special?" I can't very well tell her the truth now can I? _Yes, I'm going to go see Mark Daniels so that he can give me advice on how to make you fall in love with me. Do you have any more questions missy?_ Nope, it's easier to lie.

"Let's just say I'm collecting on a favor."


	17. Beyond Repair

**Author's Note: Long time, andI apologize. Lots of drama, a trip to LA, and endless finals and make-up work. Oh well, summer's coming in about two weeks and besides honors english assignmentsand tennis, my summer is free. So here you go. Once again, a long awaited chapter. Flashback. sorry there's been so many lately, butI promise Jack and Solia are coming back soon.**

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She had sat through dinner without a fuss. She had endured the after dinner conversation. She had looked pleased on the outside, but on the inside she was a mess. How could they promise her without her consent? How could they force her to marry the one that she now despised? After dinner, after the conversation, after she felt that her live had been ruined beyond repair, she saw Norrington to the entrance of the estate.

"I'm honored to have a beautiful woman such as yourself, as my fiancé." He said as he kissed her hand. She smiled politely.

"Nonsense. It is _my_ honor." She lied through her teeth, keeping the smile on her face. "Although the thought escapes me as to why I was chosen." It was an act. An act of desperation. What sort of woman would reject Commodore James Norrington? "I'm sure a man such as yourself, James, could have any woman you wanted." She smiled, hoping that it would get him thinking, cause him to change his mind.

"Surely you of all people should know." He said with a smile. He paused and took her hand. She looked at him curiously, as he looked into her eyes. "I love you." Those three little words cut into her like a knife, piercing any hope she had left of rejecting him. She knew from that moment she could protest all she wanted, yet her parents would object. She looked away in silence, for lack of the words to say. She shook her head as she looked at the ground.

"You don't even know me." You could barely hear her over the wind.

"You're beautiful, strong and independent." The list went on, but she couldn't stay focused. It seemed like the world was spinning and she was falling into a tunnel with no way out except marriage. She had no idea how she had remained humble, while in reality all she could feel was anger, and disgust. The clatter of hoofs on the cobblestone was the only sound she could hear as she knew it would bring her temporary relief.

"Your coach is here." A trace of false disappointment in her voice.

"They can wait." He smiled as he moved closer to her. She backed away slightly, uncomfortable with the sudden closeness.

"No, it wouldn't be proper. You should go." _Fair and just too._ He thought.

"How could I leave someone so beautiful?" He said as he stroked her cheek. Her soft skin cool under his touch. She took his hand and moved it level with her waist, yet away from her body. _What right does he have to touch me?_

"Do not make them wait on my account." Her voice was firm, yet understanding. "You're my fiancé. There will be plenty of opportunities to see me later." _But you must leave now._ Someone else was speaking for her, another woman who would kill to have a man like James Norrington, but Solia would rather be killed.

"As you wish." He said with a smile. "But bear in mind I did not do so without protest."

"I shall." She smiled, a sweet smile with the slightest hint of visible satisfaction. He kissed her hand once more, taking in the sweet fragrance of the lavender soap she had used.

"Goodnight. For it will indeed be a good night as I shall dream of you."

"And I, you." The smile on his face could only be identified as that of a man in love. He went to his carriage, every so often turning around to see if he could catch a glimpse of her. He did the same as the Mederas estate vanished into the darkness.


	18. Only A Dress

**Author's Note: Thanks a bunch again to my brother, Mark. Well, I recently broke my finger playing tennis, (thanks a lot Steven) so it's hard to type up the stories. I have my brother helping me type up the next chapter. I'm working on it right now, but this should tide you over till I get that finished. Here you go. It's been a long time. Chapter 18. Solia's POV.**

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Tortuga. The thoughts of the city kept flowing through my mind. I had read about it, heard about it, but I never imagined I would get to go there. Jack didn't answer all of my questions, but at least I know a little bit. He says we're going for Daniels. Who is he, and why does he need to see him? It seems like my questions never get answered until it's too late. The next day came and went, nothing important or out of the ordinary happened, yet Tortuga was on the horizon. I decided to take a look and went above deck. The sweet smell of the ocean was heavy in the air. It took me back a little, I was back in my room in Port Royal looking at the sea from my balcony.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" I knew the voice immediately. Jack. I smiled quickly before I turned around to answer.

"Mmm hmm." He smiled.

"We should get into Tortuga by nightfall." He says. "It's better at night anyway." He stopped to search for the words. "More...lively." He's got something in his hands.

"What's that?" I ask and point to the bundle. _What is he doing?_

"This?" I nod. "Oh, well this is for you." He says and hands it to me. I unfold it.

"It's beautiful!" The dress is the color of red wine, with black lace. I've never seen anything like it. "Why?" I ask. _Yes, why do you have to question him?_

"Just something to wear when we go to Tortuga." He says. See, he's not so bad after all. _There's got to be some catch. You know that. What's too good to be true usually is. _I smile, ignoring that ongoing inner battle.

"Thank you." I smile, then I remember his words. "Wait. Why would I need something to wear in Tortuga?"

"I just thought that you may want to wear something nicer for a change." He says casually.

"Oh, and I don't look nice now?" _Why do you care so much about how he thinks you look? You say he doesn't matter to you, but you think about him, and you know you're offended. Stop lying to yourself._

"You look fine." He says. "But those aren't _going out _clothes." He stresses the words _going out_ as if there's something more, some double meaning only he is allowed to know. _Why does it matter what I wear into Tortuga as long as I go? _

"Jack, what is going on?" I need some answers. No more mysteries, no more lies. I just want the truth. _Maybe it's best you didn't know the truth. Some questions are best left unanswered and you know this. _"Please, just tell me." He sighs, as if the question exhausts him.

"I just thought you would want something nicer to wear when we go into Tortuga." His face is unreadable, but I can't sense any frustration or anger. He's good at hiding his emotions, _too bad you can't be like that. Too bad you can't decide what you want, or how you feel. _"In all honesty, the only dress you own is quite simple." _Why do you have to be so difficult? He can't do something nice for you? You rescued him for god's sake! _"...I just thought you'd like to get a little dressed up for a change, rather then staying in your work clothes..." I interrupt him before he can say anymore.

"It's fine." I say. "Thank you." He smiles. "I...I should go change..." _What is with this sudden change of heart? _It's only a dress, it's not like he's asking me to marry him. He nods, yet says nothing as I head below deck. I pass Gibbs on my way into my cabin, he tilts his head in my direction and goes on his way.

"I'm assuming you told her..." I can hear him say, yet there is no response from Jack. I'm assuming you told her what? What is he talking about? _Why do you think Sparrow can't be trusted? You know he's talking about the dress. _I ignore my curiosity and that little tug begging me to search for another answer. I start to change into the dress, the cloth so smooth compared to the rough clothes I was wearing. I pulled the dress over my head and remembered getting ready for dinner parties, and gatherings back in Port Royal, but I keep in mind that this is nothing like that. I'm not getting engaged, or sold off without my knowledge, I'm just going into a pub with Jack. It's something different, it's better. I don't have to worry about slipping and saying something wrong_you've proven that already. _I don't have to act, be proper and polite. I love that about Jack. _Love, and Jack in the same sentence does not work. You don't love him. You're not attracted to him. He was your way out of Port Royal, and that's all. Nothing more. Don't fall for him. Not Jack, not the pirate. Not Jack Sparrow. He can't love, and love is what you are running away from in the first place. Fall in love with someone who is actually capable of loving you back. Someone who doesn't care about your past, and someone that you are positive will love you back. _I pull the laces on the dress tight, trying to guarantee that nothing will happen, that Jack, or anyone else, won't be able to see anything. I look in the small mirror that Ana had left for me. Yards of soft fabric cover my body, yet I still feel naked. My goal was to put on the dress, and have Jack focus on me, on my face, but this dress would make it impossible. I thought you would like something nice to wear to Tortuga. Like hell he did! I look like a whore! He wanted me to wear this dress so that he could see me in it, not because it would actually matter what I wear. That bastard! Jack Sparrow is not going to see my face, or any other part of my body, because I am not leaving this room. If the only way I can go to Tortuga is to wear something like this, then he can forget it. I'm not leaving the ship, hell, I'm not leaving the cabin. He can go into Tortuga without me.


	19. Behind Closed Doors

**Author's Note: Oh my god, I'm sorry it's been so long, butJack and Solia are back!Tennis season's over so that's a little bit of a relief, but I've still got homework. I asked them not to put me in chemistry and trig at the same time, but what do they do? You got it. Chem and trig. Thanksgiving break's coming up and I'll be writing. Thanks for sticking by me during the long waits. This is in Jack's POV.**

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It had been hours since she went in her cabin to change. We had just arrived in Tortuga, The Pearl docked in the harbor, and I was getting sick of waiting. "How long does it take to put on a dress?" I ask Gibbs, who is still trying to secure a rope.

"I couldn't say. I've never had to do it." I glare at him. "Easy, easy." He puts his hands up, trying to calm me down as if I had been attempting to attack him. "I don't know." He says finally.

"It couldn't take two hours." Two hours to put on clothes is ridiculous. _Give her some time, Jack. Once She sees what you gave her, she's going to need it. _I start to head below deck to her cabin, I need to know what's going on. _And so does she, but you don't always answer her questions._

"She's a big girl, Cap'n." _Aye, and in all the right places too._ "She can get dressed by herself. No need for you to bother her." He continues to lecture after I don't respond. "My guess is that it takes longer for a woman to get dressed because she has more to squeeze into those clothes." He chuckles. "She's just trying to look nice, Jack. It's what all women do."

"She's trying to make me angry, Gibbs. Two hours is ridiculous." I've spent enough time with whores to know that even an hour is too long for a woman to take getting dressed. _You see, Jack? That's the thing. She's not a whore. She's a proper woman. The governor's daughter, for Christ's sake. Be nice to her, and maybe she'll cooperate with your plan._

"It's just women in general, Jack.." I decide not to argue with him. "You should know that."

"Aye, but I'm still going to check on her. I'd like to actually set foot in Tortuga before next week." Gibbs chuckles and I mentally try to straighten everything out, every aspect of the plan before I knock on her door. She has to cooperate. She has to trust me, and if she doesn't, maybe bringing her along wasn't the best idea. "Solia." I knock on her door, hoping for an answer, some noise of any kind, but there is only silence. "Solia, are you ready?" Still no answer. I swear she's trying to make a fool of me. I reach for the keys in my pocket, the cold metal tempting me to even catch a glimpse of the girl behind the door. _Jack, you can't open that door if you want her to trust you. She didn't ask for the keys this time, so you've already gained a little bit of her trust..._ The keys are in my hands and positioned at the lock before I can thoroughly convince myself that I'm doing the wrong thing. "Solia, I'm giving you till the count of three before I open this door. Decent or not, I don't care." Although I would prefer indecent, I don't think that would be the best thing for either of us. "One...two..." This girl is hard headed, anyone else would have opened the door already, _and if it was any other girl, you would have opened I by now, Jack._ "I'm serious Solia. Open the door." Still no response. I put the key in the lock, prepared to open the door before I can change my mind. "...Three." The key is still, my hands at my sides. The door remains closed and a few seconds later the lock clicks. I listen to her footsteps, and I open the door slightly. "Solia...?" I step into the cabin, she's standing near the bed glaring at me.

"You bastard!" She screams, and throws a shoe. I dodge it, and it hits the door. "_I just thought you would want something nicer to wear when we go into Tortuga!_" She mimics me, finding more objects to throw. "Like hell you did!" Honestly, I didn't think she would be this angry.

"I can explain..." She interrupts me.

"Like hell you can Jack! You're a two-faced bastard that only wanted to see me half naked and looking like a whore!" She looks beautiful in the dress, but I can't tell her that. It would only make her angrier, _and right now, an angry woman is not what you want._"You're not a whore." I try to tell her, but she's glaring at me. Seeing her like this makes it hard for me to say anything. I didn't know she'd be so angry. _Well what the hell did you expect, Sparrow? She'd go along in that dress perfectly and according to plan? You knew it was going to take a little more then a nice conversation on deck and a smile..._

"That's not what it looks like to me!" She screams. "I don't want to go out there looking like a whore!" She starts pacing, as if trying to figure a way out of this mess.

"You'll blend in!" I almost shout at her. _Don't get angry, she won't cooperate that way..._ "Do you want them to know who you are?" She stops and just stares at me. I've hit a nerve, and I intend on making my point. "There's a reward for your return, that I'm sure of, and every bastard in that town wouldn't hesitate to collect it."

"You wouldn't!" She practically threatens me, but it's only confirming the fact that I know what I'm doing. She may hate me for it, but in the end I'll have my way.

"They would take you back. Back to Port Royal, back to that stiff Norrington. And then where would you be?" Fear seeps through her eyes, betraying the fact that she's not as tough as she wanted to be, not as brave as she's supposed be in front of me, _at least in her opinion_. "I'll tell you. You'd be Mrs. Commodore Norrington, with little James Junior on the way. One BIG happy family, right?" She looks as if she's about to cry.

"You bastard..." She's fighting back tears. "You wouldn't...you can't..." I have her right where I want her. There's no way she can get out. She knows I'm right.

"Try me." I tempt her. "He'll be so happy to see you. Wouldn't want to waste another minute. Think of a wedding night with him. You'll have a wonderful time I'm sure..."

"They'll kill you." In a sudden attempt at bravery she interrupts me. "You take me back there and they'll kill you." _Damn! She's got you there, Jack. How are you going to dance around this one?_

"They haven't succeeded yet, and it's highly unlikely they'll even realize it was me. I wouldn't be that stupid to go up to Norrington and try to collect the reward."

"And if I tell them? Then what? I'm the governor's daughter, the Commodore's _fiancé. _You think they'll believe a pirate?" That stung a little. "You kidnaped me..." I'm only doing this for her benefit.

"...But once again you'll be stuck with the Commodore, back where you started. It wouldn't do you any good." _Now stop arguing with me. You're not getting out of that dress, and you're going into Tortuga._ _Give it up._

"It wouldn't do me any good?" She asks. "At least I wouldn't be wandering around sin city looking like a whore!"

"No. You'd be wandering around Port Royal looking like _his _whore." She sighs. I'm close to breaking her, so close... "Is that what you want?" She says nothing. "No?"

"No." Plain and simple. I know she doesn't want to go back there. Why did she fight so much? _She wanted to prove she wasn't easy, Jack. You'll get your way eventually, but let her have a say in things too. Don't try to force her into things, that's why she left Port Royal, that's why she's here with you..._

"All right then." Now I've got her attention, her full attention, and most likely her cooperation. "So if life in Port Royal isn't exactly your cup of tea, I'll expect you to cooperate, savvy?" She doesn't nod or show any sign of agreement, but I know that she's going to do as I say. "Here's what's going to happen. We're going to go into Tortuga to find Daniels. He owns a pub, and as you know this is a pretty rugged town. Not too many chances for prissy governor's daughter's to go by unnoticed. That's the reason for the dress." She glares at me for the prissy comment, but I figure it helps to drive the nail into the wood. "But then again it's the same situation with the dress. Lots of whores in this town, and lots of lonely men." I can tell she doesn't like where this is going, but I have my reasons. "Now I'm not asking you to be my whore." It almost seemed like she had been holding her breath, but now she looks a little relieved. "But we're going to have to _look_ like we're together, savvy?"

"You're not going to kiss me." She says. "You kiss me and I'll slap you again."

"You're going to have to give me a little bit." I tell her. "You don't have to kiss me, but you're going to have to give me a little bit, to make it _look_ like we're together." I offer her my hand, she sighs, but she takes it. Her skin's so soft, so warm.

"You're not going to kiss me." She says again, almost threatening.

"I won't kiss you." _But I wish you'd let me._ "Promise." She sighs and starts walking towards the door.

"All right." She says. We step outside, and I close the door behind us. I take her outside, and we walk off the Pearl. We walk off together, off to what I hope is a new beginning.


	20. Masquerade

**Alright, alright. I know it's been forever, but it's finally here! Chapter 20. So I've come to realize that some things I have more experience with others, but I'm not too great at predicting when chapters will come out. Sorry it's been so long. Let's see, since the last chapter was posted I've: Met Will Smith, Been to the Dead Man's Chest premiere in Disneyland (Johnny's even more gorgeous in person), been in a play, been in a short film (school production), wrote another one-shot (Gray Wings, check it out.), done TONS of homework, oh yeah, and started tennis practice again. Not to mention the fact that I got a scholarship for a theater school in Berkeley**. **GASP. I told you I've been busy. But camping's next week, so hopefully I can work on another chapter.**

** As Always, sorry for the long intros, but this chapter is kinda long so it makes up for the long wait, I guess. You tell me. But I did have it to you right in time because Dead Man's Chest opens tomorrow.**

** Once again, first thanks go to my brother. I'd be lost without you, Mark. Also special thanks to Jesse for editing, and all my readers who are sticking by me despite the long wait. Enjoy!**

** Solia's POV.  
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First impressions are often entirely wrong. Jack Sparrow was proving that theory true at this very moment. I never know what's going on with him. He hates me. He loves me. He wants to kill me and send me back to that bastard Norrington. I can't read him. It's a game that no one will win. _Now don't you think that's a little hypocritical? He probably feels the same way about you. _

As soon as we set foot in Tortuga, I already knew that it was unlike anywhere I had ever been before. 'Friendly fire' rang out from every direction. Men half drunk ran around chasing their whores through the city. Some of them gave me looks, the sort of looks a starving man would give a piece of bread. I could feel myself trying to escape. I felt Jack's arms tighten around my waist, but the funny thing is that I didn't fight back. "Listen." He whispers. "The men in this town think that any woman they see is for sale. Just relax. I promise I won't let anyone touch you." I didn't answer him. I didn't feel the need. I felt safe with him. It was this unexplainable feeling that as long as he was there with me I would be okay. I can do this. I can pretend to be his girl for one night. It's better then pretending to be Norrington's girl. I would be pretending my whole life, living a lie. I would be suffering every time he slept with me, and I'd die when I had his child. I don't love him. I can't, and I can't be with someone I don't love.

The whole town smelled of rum. It sickened, yet fascinated me. This place is a part of people's lives. I don't understand it. The men look disgusting, like the only thing in their lives are whores and booze, and bathing doesn't matter. The women aren't any better, half naked and flaunting it for all the men to see, hoping they can fetch a few more shillings then their companion. We went through so many back alleys. I noticed a few men, even trying to get what they paid for in those back alleys, like they needed it now, and couldn't wait to find an empty room. If the city was this wild during the night, I think it's safe to assume that it's dead during the day. There would be men passed out drunk in the streets, looking more like rotting corpses than human beings.

A woman, in a red dress, fire red hair looked at Jack, a grin covering her face. My guess is at some point she was one of his whores. She looked at Jack, then at me and her grin fell into anger, hatred. She turned back once again to her companions, ignoring us.

"Look, he's got another whore with him." She laughs, the statement loud and obvious.

"Ain't she a beaut'?" Another laughs, coming closer to me. She's a blonde, as much, if not more spiteful than the redhead.

"Won't be long till he's found himself another cunt, 'eh?" Roaring laughter filled the air. These women, they're trying to make up for what they're feeling, what they aren't anymore. _Wait, what are you talking about? You're not his whore._ I don't want to be his whore, I don't want to be anyone's whore, and I hate the fact that they think that I'm his, that he's paying for me. Jack pushed us past them, trying not to cause any more problems.

"I'm not your whore." I tell him again. He nods.

"I know, I know." He says, his tone more understanding then tired. He knows that I don't like being here, being his whore. As much as he tried to hide it, I look like his whore, just like they said. To them I'm just another girl that he's going to throw away once he gets what he paid for, and I hate this. I'm not a whore. Not Jack's, not Norrington's, not anyone! I'm not anyone's whore! He tries to lace his fingers in with mine, but I don't let him and his hands return to my waist.

We walked in silence, the occasional glances and comments from other women, and hungry stares from sleazy men. Finally we reached a little run down building, it wasn't as dirty as the rest of them. In a place like this, you could actually consider it nice. We stopped and Jack just stared at the door. The Brawler's Barrel, at least that's what the sign read. "We came to Tortuga...to go to a pub?" I ask Jack, confused. I really have no idea what this man is doing."Not just a pub, love. _The _pub." he grins.

"Jack, it's a pub. We came all this way to go to a pub and drink?" I ask. "If that's the case, this whole trip was pointless. You're not going to get me drunk, and you're not going to bed me. Got it?"

"Don't worry." he says, a little weary. "I'm not trying to sleep with you. This wasn't some clever plan to sleep with you. If that were the case, I would have had you a long time ago. This pub, just happens to be owned by an old friend of mine. Haven't seen him in a long time, figured it'd be nice to stop in..."

"Oh, and show him your prize?" I ask, interrupting him. "That's the real reason for the dress and this trip, isn't it?" I ask. "Nice to see you again, it's been a long time. Here I am, Captain Jack Sparrow come to see you and look who I've brought, it's the governor's daughter! Oh, isn't she a beaut'? I could get a good price for her, but I'm waiting to see if she'll sleep with me before I take her back." I imitate him. That's what it looks like. We're here to show me off. "If that's the case, Jack, I don't see any reason why it's necessary for me to be here."

"It's necessary because you're already here." He says, moving a little closer to me. "There's no turning back now, love. If you want to leave that's fine with me, but you'll be traveling these streets alone. You'll be facing up against those whores, and men. A lot of lonely men, and those are men who usually get what they want. So if you want to be safe love, stick with me. Get in that pub, savvy?" I can't seem to decipher if Jack's angry, or just plain tired of me. If anything it's more like a cold threat. It's a threat that I don't want carried out.

"Fine." I would challenge him, but what would be the point? I win, I walk back to the Pearl alone, and anything could happen. I loose, and I'm in a pub with Jack parading me around as his whore. _I thought you established this. You can deal with being Jack's whore for one night. You can deal with anything as long as it keeps you away from Norrington... _He wraps his arms around me.

"Ready?" He whispers, his voice soft and heavy in my ear, and so smooth it almost made me shiver. Without permission my head had nodded, and before I knew it he had opened the door and we were inside the pub.

It was cleaner then I had expected, at least in a town like this it could be considered clean. It smelled like the island, a mix of alcohol and spice. The smell of candle wax was heavy in the air, entwining with the rum into a sickly sweet, yet intoxicating scent that made you want to take it all in at once. The room was loud with chatter, but the sound of the door caused immediate silence. All eyes were on us. I wanted to get out of there. "Why are they staring at us?" I whisper, Jack's grip growing slightly tighter around me. He didn't answer, instead let the crowd answer for him. A few men coming up behind us, exchanging almost silent greetings and a slap on the back. We walked up to the bar, the chatter now a sea of comments. "It's Jack Sparrow." "Who's that whore with him?" "That's Jack?" "I'd like a piece of her." "That bastard owes me money!" The comments didn't stop. They only made me more curious about the man with his arms around me, the man that I've trusted my entire life to, and the man, that I'm not sure I trust at all.

"Now what?" I ask Jack. I don't like it here. It's better then being outside alone, he's right about that, but I just...I don't like it here.

"We wait." He says. Simple. He has a simple explanation for everything.

"We wait for what? We come all the way here, to come to a pub and wait?" I ask. "Jack, I need some answers. Now." He just smiles. "What's so funny about that?" He's making me angry again. All I want is an answer, and he can't even give me that.

"We wait for the opportune moment, love." He smiles. He sits down on a bench, and pulls me into his lap. I wiggle trying to get out of his grasp, but every time I do his arms get tighter around me. "You said you'd do this." He whispers. "You said you'd pretend for one night. Now do it, and do it right, savvy?" He loosens his grip and I stop struggling. "At least pretend like you're having a good time, I don't want my friend thinking that I've tortured you."

"Oh so we're waiting for a friend?" I ask, turning towards him. I want to see his face. "Jack Sparrow has a friend?" I smile. "How cute!" I tease him. "Oh! I get it! You need a pretty little whore to impress him, don't you? That's what I am. I'm you're pretty little whore, aren't I?" I smile. He rolls his eyes, but says nothing. "Aren't I your pretty little whore, Jack?" I ask him again. I tilt his head up to match his gaze

"Do you want me to say it?" He asks with no emotion. "Is that what you want?" I nod. I know he doesn't want to say it, but I want to hear him, I want to hear those words come out of his mouth.

"I know you're thinking it, just say it." I tell him. "Everyone in this pub thinks it, you're friend is going to think it, those people on the street thought it. Just say it, Jack. Just say it and get it over with." _Why are you doing this? You're messing with him, with you. Do you want to be his whore? Is that why you're doing this? _I just want him to tell the truth, to say what he's thinking, to be _honest_ with me, for once since I've met him.

"You're my pretty little whore." He says, brushing a little piece of hair away from my face. He says it with no emotion, but he feigns a smile. "Are you happy now?" He asks. "Does that make you happy?" I smile.

"Yes it does, because for once, Captain Jack Sparrow, you're being honest with me. When you're honest with me, I can trust you." I take his face in my hands. "I want to trust you okay, Jack?" I smile, and he returns it. We sit there in silence for a few moments, not knowing what to say to each other. It's funny because in a place like this, even the quiet moments aren't so quiet.

"Want something to drink?" Jack broke the silence.

"What?" I ask, snapped out of the semi-trance I had been in.

"Something to drink..." He starts to stand up, bringing me with him. "...after all, we are in a pub." He smiles and we walk over to the bar. He slams his hand down on the bar and it sort of startles me. "That's how you get them to notice you, love." He says. "Want anything?" He asks me again.

"What you're having." I say quickly. "I'll have what you're having." I don't know what to ask for. I've never been in a pub. I've never had anything stronger then wine. I had champagne at my engagement party, but that's about it. _You better be careful around him, Solia. You let your guard down in a place like this, next thing you know you're in his bed without your clothes or any clues as to what happened the night before. _

"You're going to drink rum?" He's shocked. I've managed to shock him.

"I'm going to drink rum." I smile. "Is that so hard to believe?" He laughs.

"Aye, I thought you were a little angel. You know, no alcohol." He smiles. "You want to drink rum? Want to try it? By all means do so, but I'm not going to babysit you." He laughs, making a bunch of gestures with his free hand. His other hand is still around my waist.

"You don't think I'm strong enough for it, do you?" He shakes his head, but doesn't answer. "You think I've never had a drink in my life, and I can't handle it!

"Just being honest." He says. The bartender, a tall black man, finally makes it to us. Jack opens his mouth to talk, but I cut him off.

"Two mugs of your finest rum." I smile. The bartender nods, looks at me funny, then leaves to get our drinks. Jack looks at me shocked, and says nothing; he just smiles. The bartender disappears behind a door for a bit, then returns to get our drinks from one of the barrels behind the counter.

"You're going to pass out, love." He smiles. "And I'm not going to carry you back to the Pearl when it happens."

"And what are you going to do when I down it without a fuss?" I challenge him. He took a slight bow.

"Whatever you want." He grins. "This stuff is strong." I know he's lying to me. I can't trust him, but in some strange way I trust him more than anybody else.

"Of course, after you drink three bottles you're going to be a little drunk." I laugh. He shakes his head, laughing at me. "You're lying. I'll be fine."

"Just don't get drunk. I don't want to have to carry you out, and I'm not going to baby you in the morning when you're sick, savvy?" I nod, and the bartender came back with our drinks.

"Miss." He puts the mugs down on the counter and looks at Jack. "Pay up." He sticks his hand out, Jack gives him a few coins. "She any good?" He asks, Jack doesn't answer.

"Good?" I say angrily "I'm not...OW!" Jack pinched me, my guess is to shut me up.

"Excellent." Jack grins, cutting me off. The bartender laughs then leaves to attend to the other customers. I wanted to argue with him, I wanted to turn around and slap him, but I couldn't. I couldn't do anything. He told me to do this right, but I'm not sure if I can. I don't want to go back to Port Royal, but I'm not sure if I can handle this. "You know, that's the kind of stuff that will give you away." Jack leans in and whispers in my ear. "Don't answer questions like that." I swallowed back anything I wanted to say to him, anything that wouldn't help us get through this night. It was quiet for a while, Jack took a big swig of his rum. He was staring at me the whole time.

"What?" I ask, finally.

"You ordered it, you better try it." He picks it up and hands it to me. "I mean, you don't have to if you don't want to..." He takes it out of my hand and puts it back down on the counter. I snatched it back up.

"And give you the satisfaction of being right? No, I don't think so." I smile, and raise the glass to my lips. He stares at me, wide-eyed. I swallow the liquid. Spicy yet sweet it burns my throat, Jack laughs. I try to swallow and keep from coughing it up at the same time. It takes a few seconds, but I down it and smile. "It's good." Jack can't stop laughing.

"Good?" He asks, I nod. There was a long pause.

"What are we doing here again?" I asked. I didn't know what else to say, If his friend owns this pub, it didn't really seem like he was interested in seeing us.

"I told you. My friend owns the pub."

"How good a friend?" I ask.

"He was on the crew a couple years back after I got the Pearl again." He brushes some more hair out of my face. I had my hands on his shoulders.

"It's messy today." I say, tucking my hair back behind my ears. "You going to tell me about that?"

"You want to hear one of my stories?" He asks.

"I hear pirates have the best." I smile. He nods, and his face becomes serious. He tilts my chin up with his hand and looks me over, and smiles. His hands returned to my waist.

"I guess I can trust you." He smiles at me. "It was about ten years ago, maybe longer. I had just become captain of the Pearl, I traded somebody for a map and a compass. They both lead to the Isla De Muerta. It's an island that nobody can find, except for those who already know where it is." He smiles.

"Will you take me there one day?" I ask, resting my head on his shoulder. It was getting late, and I was getting tired. _Don't you dare get to comfy there, Solia. That's how it starts. First the rum, then the stories, on deck watching the stars. You get even sleepier, and where does he take you? Don't dig yourself any deeper than you already are._

"No." He says. "There's treasure there. It's cursed...but that's another story. Vowed never to go back there again after I got the Black Pearl back. Didn't want to loose it again. Lost that ship and I lost my freedom."

"Oh." I say. "But what does that have to do with the man who owns this pub?" I ask.

"I'm getting there." He says. "The crew mutinied to get the treasure, left me without the Pearl. Gibbs helped me round up a crew to get the Pearl back, and Mark was on it. Good man. Good pirate." He smiled at the memories. "Good with the women too." I roll my eyes. Of course he had to mention that. "No, not like that at all. He had a...with...well...let's just say he was a gentleman. Sometimes we couldn't tell if he was on our side, or the navy's."

"Sounds like you, but a little more honest." I smile, but it doesn't matter how 'honest' they are; I still can't trust them.

"Like I said, he's a good man." Jack smiles. "And this is his pub, so hopefully he'll come around soon." He says.

"We've been here forever." I sort of whine. "All these men are staring at us, can we please go?" Since we left the Pearl, I had felt like men had been staring at me. I wanted to go back on the ship so I could feel a little safe, safer then I felt now.

"We're not leaving until I talk to Mark," He says firmly. "and that's that."

"Jack, please?" He shakes his head no. "I hate you." I mumble.

"I can make you happier then he can." A voice says. "How much?" I'm not a whore, leave me alone. I can't talk to him. I can't even look in his direction. I just continue to stare at Jack.

"Leah, just ignore him." He whispered in my ear. I shook my head no, but he snapped at the man. "Back off!" Jack says. "She's mine." _I'm not yours! _I couldn't say anything.

"Sod off!" I say. "Can't you see I'm busy?" I hate this. I'm not a whore, but to save myself I have to act like it. There's got to be an easier way to hide out in Tortuga without having to be a whore, and Jack just didn't tell me because he thought this would be more fun.

"How much?" He asks again.

"Can't you see I'm busy?" I tell him. "Besides, you couldn't afford me." I look over in his direction.

"How much?" He asks again. Jack hadn't said anything. He was making me do all this on my own. I could kill him for that. "If this jackass can afford you, I'm sure I can. How much?" I got off Jack's lap, in order to face the man. He was a stern looking Filipino man in his mid twenties. It seemed like this life had hardened him; you could see it in his eyes. Height was never one of my best qualities, so I stretched to my full height, and then some, in order to properly look him in the eye.

"This jackass is a good man, and he'll pay up." I say, confidently. _Why the hell are you defending him?_ "So wait for another night, but tonight I'm his." Maybe I'm his forever. _What the hell are you saying? Listen to yourself! You don't want Jack!_ _The situation is getting to you, you just want to get out of here with everything, including your virginity, in tact, and the way you're talking you're only making it more difficult._

"I've got the money, so why don't you tell that bastard to take a hike." He says. I didn't answer, and he kept going. "I'll buy her off of you. How much?" He asks Jack, but Jack said nothing. He could ignore it, but I couldn't. Why isn't he sticking up for me? I wanted to punch him, but I couldn't do anything. I felt like a whore. I felt like property, and this is the exact reason why I left Port Royal: I didn't want my life decided for me.

"You couldn't afford me, so back off!" I say again. He took a step forward, trying to intimidate me.

"Look, missy, I asked a simple question. How much?" He took another step, forcing me backwards. I took a quick look behind me. He was backing me further into the bar.

"You couldn't afford me even if you were the commodore in Port Royal. I make my decisions, not the money, so give it up." I put my hands on my hips, trying to gain a balance in case he pushes me back again.

"Leah!" I heard Jack bark again, but I ignored him. I had to do this on my own. I proved him wrong with the rum, and now I was going to prove myself here.

"I don't know where you're from, but money makes everything..." He grabbed my arm and pulled me closer to him. "...and a whore doesn't make her own decisions." He said in a low voice. "How much?"

"There are hundreds of other whores on this island, you could pick anyone..." I was trying my hardest not to let my voice shake.

"You want the truth?" He asks. He pulled me closer to him. I was shaking, and I could feel him looking down my dress. I could smell rum, but I wasn't sure if it was on his breath or if it was the atmosphere. "You..." He tilted my chin up to meet his gaze, and brushed the hair out of my eyes. "...are one of the most beautiful girls I've seen in a _very_ long time." He leaned in closer. I was trying not to shake. I couldn't let him know that I was afraid. "Besides..." His lips brushed my cheek. "...you're his." He whispered, his gaze now fixed on Jack.

"Jack..." I barely breathed. The man sort of laughed, it made me shiver. "Jack..." I tried to shout, but I couldn't. "Jack!"

"She said to leave her alone!" Jack was behind me, anger in his voice. I felt the man turn me around, his arm around my waist, keeping me in place, unable to escape. Jack had his pistol pointed at him. He stopped, it seemed like something registered, something from the past, but he didn't put the gun down. "Let her go!" The man's pistol was at my head, then aimed straight for Jack.

"Who, Jack?" He asks. "Her?" I felt his breath on my neck. "Her?" He asks Jack again. "Her..." I felt his hands, and I swallowed, trying not to cry. "You know..." He whispered in my ear. "...You just say the word, and you're out of here."

"Just let me go." I could scarcely hear myself. "Just let me go,_ please_." I begged.

"Aww, come on." He whispered. "We could get out of here, have a little fun..." He chuckled. "...What do you say, hmm?" His hands, and the gun were on my hips, pulling me closer to him. "...I know we could have fun." I could hardly see Jack, but from what I did see, he had murder in his eyes.

"_Just leave me alone._" I begged. I felt the barrel of the gun deeper in my side. "_Please, leave me alone._" My eyes were hot, and blurring, but I was still trying not to cry. I couldn't let him find me out. Whoever he was, he couldn't know that I didn't belong here.

"You want it that way?" He asks, shoving the gun even farther into my skin. "Maybe you want to die, huh?" He asks. I shook my head no, but he didn't listen. I felt the hot tears rolling down my cheeks, burning my skin. I could almost see Jack, with his gun raised. "I think you do." He whispered. "You're going to get shot...but where, is the question."

He had a deep chuckle; that in itself scared me. "The back's nice." He pushed the gun into my spine, I could feel the blood rushing to it. "Or what about here?" He slid the gun up towards my chest and dug it into the soft flesh. "Right through the heart. You'd like that, huh?" He turned me around, facing him. I could hardly see. He brushed his hand along my face. "Such a pretty girl." He grinned. "Maybe you want it right between the eyes, where you can see it."

Everything was a blur. I was gasping for breath. I felt the barrel pressed hard against my head. I couldn't see anything, then the gun clicked.

"Where's your hero now?"


End file.
